Westcott recognized for her 'grit'

SANDUSKY — The Erie County Health Department and Erie County Community Health Center are proud to announce that senior chief clinical officer Heather Westcott, a registered nurse, has been awarded the 2025 Ohio G.R.I.T. Administrator Award. Presented by the Ohio School-Based Health Alliance in partnership with the national School-Based Health Alliance, the annual G.R.I.T. Awards celebrate individuals who demonstrate genuineness, resilience, innovation and tenacity in their contributions to school-based health care. Westcott was selected for her exceptional leadership in expanding and managing the community health center's robust regional school-based health center infrastructure. Under Westcott's clinical direction, the community health center operates four school-based health centers across the region, heavily expanding local health care access by embedding essential medical services directly into local school districts. The current safety net school-based network includes: • EHOVE Career Center and Margaretta Schools, which provide a full, integrated spectrum of primary health, dental and mental health services • Sandusky Career Center, which is focused on delivering essential primary health and mental health support • Vermilion High School, which is focused on primary health care delivery alongside integrated women, infants and children services "Heather Westcott embodies the absolute definition of grit, and this statewide recognition is incredibly well-deserved," county health commissioner Pete Schade said. "Building and managing a school-based health network across four distinct districts, Heather has worked tirelessly to ensure that our students have immediate access to top-tier primary, dental and mental health care right where they learn." By eliminating transportation barriers and coordinating comprehensive care directly within the schools, the health center's school-based program ensures that students receive preventative and acute interventions without missing vital instructional time. The Ohio School-Based Health Alliance recognizes leaders, like Westcott, who push past systemic challenges to foster healthier school communities. The G.R.I.T. Administrator Award underscores her ongoing commitment to data-driven public health strategy, clinical excellence and compassionate care throughout Erie County.