The Ohio Academy of Family Physicians has nominated Kathleen Meehan-de la Cruz, MD, of Norwalk, OH, for appointment to the American Academy of Family Physicians Commission on Health of the Public and Science, the AAFP Commission on Governmental Advocacy, or the AAFP Commission on Membership and Member Services. In the letter of chapter support, OAFP President Don Mack, MD, stated, “Dr. Meehan-de la Cruz brings experience and knowledge of correctional medicine to commission service. She also brings her experiences practicing in a rural clinic and in a federally-qualified health center to the table. As member of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) constituency, she has unique knowledge of the health needs and the burdens of health inequity that face incarcerated persons and those in the LGBT community. At the 2017 National Conference of Constituency Leaders (NCCL), Dr. Meehan-de la Cruz helped write and pass a resolution that addressed the need for correctional facilities to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s HIV treatment guidelines. Her practice experience with underserved patients and immigrant patients has made her acutely aware of the impact social determinants have on health care. She also played an instrumental role in resolutions adopted during the AAFP Congress of Delegates addressing transgender persons in the military and the reversal of DACA.”
Dr. Meehan-de la Cruz is chief medical officer for the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. She served as member constituencies alternate delegate at the 2017 AAFP Congress of Delegates in San Antonio and will be a member constituencies delegate to the 2018 AAFP Congress of Delegates in New Orleans, and is a co-convener for the 2018 NCCL.
Dr. Meehan-de la Cruz serves on the OAFP Board of Directors, the OAFP Public Policy Committee, the OAFP Finance/Audit Committee, the OAFP Member Constituencies Workgroup, and the OAFP National Action Committee.
Dr. Meehan-de la Cruz earned her medical degree at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and completed residency at the University of Massachusetts Fitchburg Family Medicine Residency Program.
Good luck Dr. Meehan-de la Cruz!