Last Edited:
March 13, 2025 @ 9:18 am

On Friday, March 7, The Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) recognized the Montgomery County Health Department (MCHD) as an Advanced Age-Friendly Public Health System (AFPHS) for their commitment to Age-Friendly Public Health Systems at an educational event on Age-Friendly Communities and Age-Friendly Public Health Systems.
The event brought together professionals from the health and education sector to celebrate their achievements and share best practices in creating age-friendly environments. County health departments received certificates for submitting comprehensive action plans demonstrating their dedication to enhancing health services and resources for aging populations.
This Advanced Recognition is awarded to health departments demonstrating leadership in integrating aging-focused policies, programs, and partnerships into their public health work.
Among the honorees, the Montgomery County Health Department (MCHD) became the second county in the state to earn an Advanced Age-Friendly Public Health System designation by the Trust for America's Health.
This recognition reflects Montgomery County’s ongoing efforts to promote age-friendly initiatives, such as HealthierMontgomery.com and Healthier Montgomery Streets & Neighborhoods. Additional initiatives contributing to this achievement include the expansion of the Montgomery County Health Council, collaboration with AARP to pursue an Age-Friendly Community designation, the ECHO Dementia Risk Reduction Program, and the development of FindHelp.org, an online directory connecting residents to essential medical, mental health, food, and social services.
The event featured presentations from leading organizations and agencies, including Trust for America's Health, the Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging, AARP, the Alzheimer's Association, Middle Tennessee State University, and Joey Smith, Director of the Montgomery County Health Department.
“We are proud of the progress made in building a more inclusive and supportive environment for our aging population,” said Joey Smith, Director of the Montgomery County Health Department. “These achievements are the result of strong partnerships with our mayors, elected officials, the Montgomery County Health Council, and the many dedicated stakeholders in our community. We look forward to continuing this important work and expanding our impact.”
"It is an honor for the Montgomery County Health Department to be recognized as an Advanced Age-Friendly Public Health System. This recognition highlights our continued commitment to enhancing the quality of life for all those we serve. Thank you to the Montgomery County Health Department for all the hard work they do every day to create a healthier, more age-friendly Montgomery County. Additionally, our continued investment in developing greenways, parks, and sports amenities reflects our dedication to fostering a high quality of life for both our residents and visitors," said Montgomery County Mayor Wes Golden.
"Our strategic network of parks, greenways, and sidewalks, being geographically distributed throughout the City of Clarksville, will have the combined effect of making pedestrians safer as they travel about in more aesthetically appealing communities," said Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts.
"But even beyond these goals, we want to provide incentives for people of all ages to have fun outdoors and get healthy, and that is equal to any other goals that might exist for providing parks and sidewalks.
"Knowing that these aggressive goals have already collectively helped our community earn the distinction of supporting an Advanced Age-Friendly Public Health System is very rewarding, and we've only just begun to realize the full measure of our commitment to this,” Mayor Pitts said.
For more information about the Montgomery County Health Department's age-friendly initiatives, please visit https://montgomerytn.gov/health.
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