New Health Commissioner Appointed For Lorain County

LORAIN COUNTY, OH — The board of Lorain County Public Health announced it's appointed Mark Adams, MPH, RS health commissioner of LCPH following the retirement of Dave Covell, MPH, RS.

Adams is the 13th health commissioner since LCPH was formed in 1920, according to county officials. He joined LCPH as deputy health commissioner in October 2020 after serving as health commissioner of Henry County Health Department. Previously, Adams was the director of Canton City Health Department for 24 years, and served in the U.S. Coast Guard.

“As we continue addressing COVID-19 concerns, we’ll also keep working to prevent chronic and infectious diseases. Plus, we’ll continue developing the future and current local public health workforce so we’re ready to address the next public health crises,” said Adams. “I look forward to continuing efforts with our experienced staff and dedicated community partners.”

Covell retired after nine years of service at LCPH and 35 years total in public health. During his time as health commissioner, Covell led LCPH to earn accreditation status through the Public Health Accreditation Board in 2016. He also oversaw the merging of three local health departments: Lorain County General Health District, Lorain City Health Department, and Elyria City Health Department. The three joined forces in early 2017 to become Lorain County Public Health. Covell guided LCPH through the process of building a new office in 2019, which enabled the continuation of public health services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

LCPH works to prevent people from getting sick or injured — now and in the future. They educate and inspect restaurants and grocery stores to prevent food poisoning. They provide vaccines to prevent diseases, including COVID-19, pneumonia, and meningitis. They work with cities to prevent chronic diseases and injuries by making it easier to walk and bike places. They’re funded by grants, fees, and a local levy.