New health officer wants better media relationship

Greg Larry, Cumberland Times-News, Md.
·3 min read

Aug. 31—CUMBERLAND — Junie Delizo, new health officer for Allegany County, says he wants to work with the local media to ensure accurate and timely communication with county residents on health matters.

Delizo said current information makes a big difference with everything from family planning and health screens to COVID, addictions, suicide prevention and emergency preparedness.

"We need your help," Delizo said. "You are our ally."

Delizo and Brenda Caldwell, public information coordinator for the county, met with members of the local media Wednesday morning at the heath department.

"I want people to know we are here and they will have access to the services we have," he said. "If we don't have those resources we will find a way to facilitate them and connect people to them."

Following a nationwide search by the Allegany County Commission and the Maryland Department of Health, Delizo was appointed to the position and began work on July 1. He brings over 25 years of public health experience, including expertise in epidemiology, emergency preparedness and public health administration.

Delizo comes to Allegany County from his most recent appointment as deputy director of public health for the Lackawanna County Department of Health and Human Services in Pennsylvania.

"As the health department we want to be as transparent as possible, of course subject to HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) as well as state and federal regulations," Delizo said. "We want to be efficient and streamlined in providing those services. We don't want an undue burden in accessing services."

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Delizo worked as an epidemiologist for the Florida Department of Health in Seminole County and the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.

He also served as a contract epidemiologist for the COVID Emergency Response Unit in the School Support Section of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Branch.

Early in his career, Delizo served as medical officer at President Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Hospital in the Philippines. After immigrating to the United States, he joined the Rockland County Department of Health in New York as director of emergency preparedness and public health where he served for 17 years.

"I think there is a misconception in the community that we provide absolutely every kind of health service," Caldwell said. "That is not the role of the health department. Local health departments are basically gap fillers. Areas where services are lacking, that is where we try to fill that gap and if we can't we try to connect people to those services.

"As we know from COVID, often in a fluid emergency situation that information may change from day to day," Caldwell added. "We want to make sure we have a good solid connection with the media. The media plays a crucial role in helping us get timely information out."

Delizo replaces Interim Health Officer Margaret Wright, who also serves as the health department's director of physical health and nursing. Wright stepped into the role of interim health officer following the departure of the previous health officer, Jenelle Mayer, in September 2022.

Delizo earned his bachelor of science and doctor of medicine degrees from Saint Louis University, Baguio City, Philippines. He also holds a master of public health in international health and epidemiology and a graduate certificate in vaccine science and policy from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.