CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) RESOURCE CENTER Read More
Add To Favorites

A passion for public health: Clark County health officer Kevin Burke hangs up his hat after 27 years of service to the community

The Evening News and The Tribune - 8/7/2017

Aug. 07--JEFFERSONVILLE -- When he retires from his post as Clark County health officer in two months, Dr. Kevin Burke will leave behind a legacy of nearly three decades of working to ensure the safety and health of the community, with roots firmly in place to help keep it safe for years to come.

Burke has served the residents of Clark County for 27 years -- the longest running health officer in the county since the board of health was created in 1948, according to health department records.

During that time, he's worked with staff and the board of health to expand health services and education to the community, standardized protocol for first responders and instituted oversight in ambulance services -- all the while managing the day-to-day public health needs of Clark County.

When Clark County began offering services to diagnose and treat HIV, AIDS and other STDS, it was so effective that the county now facilitates these services in 16 others through state funding.

Most recently, Burke has been at the forefront of getting off the ground a syringe exchange program in Clark County to help address the effects of the opioid crisis. The Interchange, which opened at eh beginning of the year, offers testing, education, treatment options and clean needles and supplies to help mitigate the spread of HIV and Hepatitis C in the community and provide a way for some addicted to get the help they need.

"[The] interesting thing about public health is it affects everybody's health every day," he said. "Vaccines have eliminated so many serious infections but there are many many public health principals that affect every person in this county every day -- public health has done more to decrease death and disability in our community than any other type of health care."

He has also worked to foster an environment within the department that is open, professional and accountable to the evolving needs of the community -- something that will carry on among staff after Burke has left the building.

"I feel privileged to have been the health officer for so many years and I think that I and my staff and the board of health have made the community better for it," he said. "[I believe] that the department is in good shape and able to address ... and prevent threats to the health of the community in the future."

THE EARLY YEARS

Burke was born and raised in Clarksville, the descendant of Irish ancestors who first came to America in 1869. He attended St. Anthony's for grade school and it was at Flaget High School, a private Catholic High school in the west end of Louisville that closed in 1974, that instilled some of the necessary discipline Burke would use for the rest of his life.

"Discipline was strongly emphasized and that eventually led me to develop self-discipline," he said. "I clearly believe that if I had not gone to Flaget, I would have never become a physician."

Burke attended Bellarmine University and when he didn't get accepted into medical school on his first try, took classes at IU Southeast and University of Louisville, eventually earning a master of science and microbiology from the latter, something which he said helped set him up for a future in public health.

As did his education at University of Kentucky, a program which focused heavily on primary care.

There he studied internal medicine and went into primary care, first with another physician and then into a solo practice.

"Which was an interesting experience," he said, of being a small business owner and a physician. "There was more than one time that I didn't pay myself on payday because there wasn't enough money. And a few instances, I would go to the bank to take out a loan to make payroll."

But things would change as Burke accepted a spot in Southern Medical Associates, a primary care group which later became known as Community Medical Associates.

And when he was approached by physicians in the community in 1990 to consider leading the health department, he took it. He was voted in by the Clark CountyBoard of Health and stepped into the role May 18, 1990.

CARING FOR THE COMMUNITY

Burke said he realized quickly protecting the health and safety needs of the community first required a strong and dedicated staff who would treat the residents with courtesy and honesty. He also knew the success of the department depended strongly on a good public health administrator, and Burke hired Mike Myer -- who retired last year -- two months after he started.

"That certainly was one of the best decisions I made for the heath department," Burke said.

Myer said working with Burke meant having a leader who was involved, communicative and who truly cared about the community he served.

"Dr. Burke was always accessible and interested in being involved in decisions that needed to be made -- and always had a good perspective on things," Myer said.

"I think he's had a passion for public health and a real desire to see the county move forward and do as much as we could within the realm of our ability to keep the county safe and healthy."

With the syringe exchange program, he said Burke did what he believed was best for the whole of the community, despite the controversial nature of the programs.

"I think separating out the public health mission from what the naysayers have brought up has kept him focused on that," Myer said. "The statistics are out there and much of the research shows that they help and do not promote drug use. I think that's the big controversy -- a lot of people think we're just passing out needles without good result in the end. But most of the programs I think are showing good success. I think it takes a while."

Dr. Jerome Adams, Indiana State Health Commissioner who was recently named as U.S. Surgeon General, has worked closely with Burke over the past several years and said he is an asset to both the local community and the state as a whole.

"I have known Dr. Kevin Burke both as a county health officer and as a leader in the Indiana State Medical Association," Adams said in an email. "I have never met another individual more dedicated to improving Hoosier health -- both Clark County and the state have a big void to fill with his well-deserved retirement, and I wish him the best."

Dr. Jim Howard, president of the Clark CountyBoard of Health, was on the board when Burke was hired in 1990 with a four-year contract, and said he's done an excellent job during his tenure.

"Four years turned into 27," Howard said. "Every four years it's been almost automatically renewed because he's been willing to stay on and we encouraged him to stay on.

"He has been focused on a variety programs that help the general population and he's not shied away from anything."

THE NEXT CHAPTER

Caring for the residents of Clark County and beyond has been a full-time job, one Burke has found fulfillment in, but he also makes sure to live each day to the fullest.

And when he leaves in September or October, he doesn't plan to find himself idle -- he'll just have more time to spend with his family, his wife of 39 years Jeanne and their children Carol Vest, Michael Smith, Daniel Burke and Dianne Moneypenny.

And he'll have more time to devote to myriad hobbies and artistic pursuits -- continuing his love of travel, fishing, scuba-diving, photography, Star Wars and music. He creates art by etching and sandblasting glass, and metalwork, which includes forging and painting his own fishing lures. He's also learning silversmith and tenor saxophone.

"I have full days," he said.

And when he retires his post, it won't just be Clark County that's been affected by the man who feels lucky to have been given the opportunity; he's changed for it as well and has learned a lot through his time working with the community.

"First, true happiness is rooted in your family, friends, faith and health rather rather than your possessions," he said. "Second, professional satisfaction and fulfillment comes from helping individuals and communities deal with threats and crises that develop over time as well as to help prevent or delay those threats and crises.

"Third, you get a lot more cooperation and satisfaction out of people by being nice to them as opposed to being hostile. Fourth, most people you deal with will have good intentions for the betterment of themselves and their community. Fifth, we typically don't like criticism but every criticism should be considered an opportunity for self-reflection and improvement."

And Burke is forever grateful for the support of his wife -- he couldn't have done it without Jeanne -- and the chance to succeed he was given in this country.

"America is the greatest country on this Earth," he said. "It afforded me the opportunity to pursue my dreams like so many others. I was able to to achieve my goal of becoming a physician with all the responsibilities thereof but also tremendous fulfillment and satisfaction."

___

(c)2017 The Evening News and The Tribune (Jeffersonville, Ind.)

Visit The Evening News and The Tribune (Jeffersonville, Ind.) at newsandtribune.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.