The Deschutes County Board of Commissioners, the Public Health Advisory Board and the Behavioral Health Advisory Board are pleased to announce this year’s Health Hero Award winners.
The 2026 Individual Health Hero Award winner for Public Health is Dr. Randy Jacobs. The winner for Behavioral Health is Lindsey Overstreet.
Dr. Jacobs served as the volunteer medical director for Shepherd’s House Ministries since 2016, helping countless community members until he retired this year. His nominator wrote that he deserves the award because of “his selfless service to help increase the health and well-being of members of our community who often go without medical care.”
Licensed clinical social worker Lindsey Overstreet is the Pediatric Behavioral Health Manager at Mosaic Community Health. She has played a key role in developing and expanding school-based substance use services for youth in Central Oregon. Her nominator wrote that she is deserves the recognition because “her work has strengthened the behavioral health system for rural youth and ensured more young people can access the care they need close to home.”
The 2026 Organization Health Hero Award winner for Public Health is Bend Ophthalmology. The winner for Behavioral Health is Shepherd’s House Ministries.
Bend Ophthalmology partners with Volunteers in Medicine to provide specialty eye care to patients who would otherwise have little to no access to it. The organization’s nominator wrote that “for many of our patients, this is the difference between progressive vision loss and being able to continue working, driving, and living independently.”
Shepherd’s House Ministries provides services to people experiencing homelessness in Central Oregon. The organization’s nominator wrote that they frequently interact with Shepherd’s House staff and that “their genuine care and respect of the at-risk population they serve is exemplary. They provide vital services while maintaining boundaries for a safe environment.”
Deschutes County presents Health Hero Awards each year to recognize individuals and organizations for enriching the mental, physical, spiritual and social well-being of people in our community. In years past, the Public Health Advisory Board presented one award to an individual and one to an organization. This year, the board partnered with the Behavioral Health Advisory Board to honor four Health Heroes.
The Health Hero Awards were presented on Tuesday, June 2 at Ponderosa Park in Bend.