The Erie County Health Department and Erie County Community Health Center announced that Heather Westcott, a senior chief clinical officer, received the 2025 Ohio G.R.I.T. Administrator Award, according to a news release.

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, the release said.

Westcott was selected for her exceptional leadership in expanding and managing the Community Health Center’s robust regional school-based health center infrastructure, according to the release.

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 release said.

The current safety net school-based network includes:

• EHOVE Career Center and Margaretta School District — Providing a full, integrated spectrum of primary health, dental and mental health services.

• Sandusky Career Center — Focused on delivering essential primary health and mental health support.

• Vermilion High School — Focused on primary healthcare delivery alongside integrated Women, Infants and Children (WIC) services.

“Heather Westcott embodies the absolute definition of grit, and this statewide recognition is incredibly well-deserved,” said Peter T. Schade, Erie County Health commissioner in the release. “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 Community Health Center’s school-based program ensures that students receive preventative and acute interventions without missing vital instructional time, according to the release.

The Ohio School-Based Health Alliance recognizes leaders like Westcott who push past systemic challenges to foster healthier school communities, the release said.

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, according to the release.