Mohr named as Public Health Director

Shawn Mohr is the new Public Health Director in Hot Springs County starting August 5. The previous director Tricia McPhie resigned earlier this summer. Mohr said he is "getting settled and figuring out where things are at and getting my schedule going."

Mohr has been receiving a large amount of training from the state and looking to see that they are meeting all the needs of the county's public health. Not only that, Mohr is focusing on areas for improvement and to prepare for the coming flu season. They will have some clinic days coming up for flu and covid vaccinations.

Mohr is also interested in addressing the high use of opioids in the county where he is working with local agencies to figure out what the true use data actually is. Additionally, Mohr wants to address mental health as a priority as well and to make sure the public has the resources they need to "live and thrive here in Thermopolis."

Mohr started working in the medical field and public safety in 2007. He spent six years in the Marine Corps with just under four years of active duty and then two years in the reserves. He was deployed twice to Afghanistan. In 2007 started working for Cobb County Fire Emergency Services and then took early retirement from them in 2022. After 15 years of service, he was a lieutenant with them. 

Regarding Mohr's training, he went through all the National Incident Management Services courses that are in a relationship with FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security courses for ICS. He also has had a myriad of courses and medical training in other functions and uses. He was also an instructor in many of these areas as well.

Mohr also has a background as a traveling nurse where his last day of contract was August 2 of this year. He went across the country from Atlanta to Farmington, New Mexico, and Bemidji, Minnesota, for about 16 months. The majority of his nursing career was in a cardiac cath lab for the treatment of heart attacks. Mohr hopes to do more of that here in Hot Springs County, "because I think that cardiac health is a huge thing for longevity and for quality of life."

Regarding Mohr's values and passions, he said, "Education and information getting out to folks is a huge passion of mine. And I love to make sure that people are well informed, whether it's their health, their wellbeing, their mental health, those areas. I want to make sure people make informed decisions so that they can make the right choices for long-term health in any way, shape or form. "

Additionally, Mohr wants to have a prepared community should there be any emergency such as an active shooter response. He has already met with the Hot Springs County Sheriff's Office and the Thermopolis Police Department. Mohr said, "I think public health has an opportunity to kind of be a coordinator for a lot of different agencies and positions, and that's what I'm hoping to do, especially with law enforcement. I want to be able to provide whatever needs that they have. Such as treating folks in jail, that kind of thing."

Mohr added, "I'm grateful to serve the community. I'm really hopeful about our future here. And I'm glad to be a part of it."