Toni Corona retires after 20 years as Madison County Health Department director

Corona, who has been with the MCHD because it commenced in 1996 and has been the director because 2003, is retiring on June 30.

“It’s sinking in suitable now, for absolutely sure, but the health and fitness division is in a truly good place,” mentioned Corona, who was the environmental wellness products and services manager for MCHD just before starting to be the director. “The focused individuals right here, from the division administrators to the coordinators to all of the personnel, do a huge job.

“This career has been uncomplicated for me for the reason that of the enthusiasm and professionalism of our workers. It is time for me to do a little something distinct and I’m heading to choose some time off.”

Corona claimed her decision to retire was not created that extensive back, although it experienced been in the back again of her mind for a even though.

“It was possibly mid-Could when I started out imagining about it,” Corona reported. “I required to examine and obtain exactly where we are at, and the condition fiscal year starts on July 1, when you are starting up grant apps and performing those styles of items. The timing (to retire now) just appeared right.”

Corona admits that the earlier two-as well as a long time of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the additional worry that was put on community wellness specialists, performed a position in her choice to retire this summer time.

“I’ve had a 33-calendar year career in this area, and hardly ever did I imagine what this would be like,” Corona reported of dealing with the pandemic. “We have 40 workers now, but at the peak of the pandemic, we experienced 70.

“The past two and a 50 % decades have been a blur, but we ended up so thriving in the pandemic response. We led a mass vaccination clinic for a period of months and provided about 116,000 vaccines to folks, not to mention all of the get hold of tracing and consultations we did with lengthy-phrase treatment amenities and hospitals.

“I really don’t want to indicate that COVID is around – it is continue to present and we have to have persons to be mindful and stay up to date with their vaccinations. But compared to exactly where we were, I think it’s in a very good place.”

While the pandemic resulted in more time several hours and a heavier workload for Corona and her team, it also reminded her of why she selected to develop into a community well being skilled.

“I certainly really like community health and fitness,” Corona reported. “My diploma is in environmental wellbeing and aspect of that was an internship, but at that time there was no nearby health section in Madison County. In 1995, the County Board voted to begin a health division and it was up and working in 1996.

“I’m born and raised in Madison County, and I preferred to be a element of that. It’s been a full circle and a amazing journey. My job is very significantly my vocation and to be of use is pretty critical to me.”

Corona mentioned that her successor as director of the health and fitness department has not however been named.

“It’s up to the county administration, but they will title an interim director internally to retain things heading. That need to transpire next 7 days,” Corona said.

“I know that the work has been posted, and they will begin a search for a director of community health and fitness. Point out law defines the bare minimum skills for the work and there is a course of action to make certain that unique has the correct experience and awareness of public overall health.”

An Alton native, Corona is a 1985 graduate of Marquette Substantial College. She attended Illinois Condition College, wherever she earned a degree in environmental wellbeing.

Her initial job in community overall health was in LaSalle County and she also worked in the St. Clair County Health and fitness Department for a number of many years.

“After the 1993 flood, I remaining St. Clair County and went to the Illinois Department of Community Wellbeing and did a whole lot of write-up-flood recovery work with wells and personal sewage systems,” Corona reported. “By then, the Madison County Overall health Office was starting to variety, and I left the IDPH to come below.”

Corona leaves her occupation with higher hopes for the long run of community wellbeing in Madison County.

“The mission of a nearby health office is to make sure that folks have what they need to have within just a population of local community well being,” Corona said. “We have environmental applications but there is also the communicable ailment part.

“We do a lot of immunizations and prevention applications this kind of as most cancers screenings. Our group health and fitness approach was permitted by the County Board (on Wednesday night). Last month we discovered a few health and fitness priorities for the program of the up coming four yrs, which are mental wellness, compound use and access to care.”

Corona’s programs for the future, soon after a number of months of downtime, are uncertain.

“I’m going to chill out for a though, but I have to be of use,” Corona reported. “I will be doing some thing, but I really do not know however what that will be. I’m excited for the possibilities and I’m appreciative of what I have experienced here.

“Leaving right here is rather bittersweet. I appreciate to be a element of one thing and know that we’re undertaking excellent, but I also leave in this article quite self-confident in the future of the health and fitness department. I know it is in excellent arms and I know that the personnel is top-notch.”