Palmer’s West Campus President receives APHA Lifetime Achievement Award

November 29, 2012 — The Chiropractic Health Care (CHC) Section of the American Public Health Association (APHA) honored Palmer College of Chiropractic’s West Campus President William Meeker, DC, MPH, for more than 20 years of “outstanding service and leadership” to the CHC by presenting him with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2012 APHA Annual Meeting & Exposition Oct. 27-31 in San Francisco.

Founded in 1872, the APHA represents a broad array of health providers, educators, environmentalists, policy-makers, and health officials at all levels working both within and outside governmental organizations and educational institutions. The Chiropractic Health Care Section of the APHA was founded in 1995. 

The CHC’s multidisciplinary membership reflects a diverse cross section of healthcare professionals in addition to DCs, and it has maintained a critical role in public health issues such as wellness, health promotion and disease prevention in the context of chiropractic policies and practices.

The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes outstanding service and leadership in relation to chiropractic and public health, and requires membership in the CHC section for at least 15 years. Meeker has devoted much of his 30-year career to advancing chiropractic’s presence and elevating its voice in the oldest and most diverse organization of public health professionals in the world. 

“I am very proud of this award because of what it symbolizes,” said Meeker, who has been involved with the CHC since 1985 and received its Distinguished Service Award in 1997. “This award represents the collective efforts of many dedicated people, who worked so hard for so many years and shared a common goal of giving the chiropractic profession its well-deserved status as an APHA Section.”

Meeker received many accolades from his colleagues in conjunction with this prestigious award. “Dr. Meeker has served as a role model for younger members of the Section, and through his leadership and collective contributions, which include co-editing the first public health textbook specifically for chiropractors, has inspired other DCs to recognize the importance of getting involved in public health,” said Dr. Bart Green, chair of the CHC awards committee.

“Dr. Meeker’s mentorship has led to positive career trajectories for many scholars and researchers within the chiropractic profession, particularly within the CHC,” Green added. “He continues to support the efforts of researchers and other scholars, not only at Palmer’s West Campus, but at other institutions, due to his interest and commitment to advancing the chiropractic profession.”

Before chiropractic earned its current status as an official section, Meeker was involved with helping to facilitate the profession’s initial involvement with the APHA via creation of the Chiropractic Forum. At one point, this special primary interest group, chartered in 1983, topped more than 500 members, making it one of the largest special interest groups in APHA history.

“Every practicing chiropractor can feel proud that he or she has a voice in the healthcare conversation that will, once again, dominate much of President Obama’s second term in office,” said Meeker. “While many other healthcare disciplines are embracing wellness concepts with greater frequency, wellness has been the domain of the chiropractic profession for more than a century.” 

Any chiropractor or chiropractic student may join the APHA Chiropractic Health Care Section; for additional information: apha.org/membergroups/sections/aphasections/chc.

Source: Palmer College of Chiropractic, palmer.edu