PROVO — Though most people tend to be frustrated with public health care, Utah County officials think it's doing well and getting better in their county.

The Utah County Health Department and the Utah County Board of Health Tuesday honored Rep. Stephen Clark, R-Provo, and Intermountain Healthcare as friends of public health.

In recognition of public health week, county health department director Joseph Miner presented the award at the Utah County Commission meeting Tuesday, noting that both Clark and IH had made huge strides in promoting public health in Utah County.

Clark proposed legislation this session for state funds to help local health departments with programs mandated by the Legislature. In last year's session, he sponsored legislation to standardize health department programs throughout the state, Miner said. Clark was also a founding board member for the Volunteer Care Clinic for Utah County.

"This clinic helps Utah County residents with no means of receiving health care get the care they need from volunteer doctors and nurses and many other generous volunteers," Miner said.

County commissioners were pleased to help present the award to Clark for his participation with county health.

"I know what a great advocate he is for the health department," said Utah County Commissioner Gary Anderson. "He is a friend of local government."

Anderson said Clark is one of the few legislators who understand how difficult it is for counties to obtain funding for state mandates.

Miner presented the same award to Intermountain officials for what Miner called "outstanding contributions to the health of Utah County citizens."

Intermountain helped establish many health-care programs and clinics throughout the county that serve residents, especially those who are uninsured or under-insured. The health-care company remodeled a building in downtown Provo that became Mountainlands Community Health Center and serves a great need in the community.

"They have continued to provide over half a million dollars of ongoing funding each year to the Community Health Center for primary care medical services to many thousands of low-income Utah County residents, 80 percent of whom have no health insurance at all — not even Medicaid or Medicare coverage," Miner said.

He added that Intermountain also participates with the county and state in sponsoring community health fairs and health and safety campaigns.

Anderson said Utah County residents owe Intermountain their gratitude for the services the company provides.

"The people of Utah County need to know that if Intermountain were not who they are, if they didn't have the compassion and integrity and philosophy, our taxes would be much higher," he said.

He noted that the county doesn't have to provide a hospital or other programs because IH offers those.

David Clark, regional vice president for the urban south district for Intermountain, said the biggest problem for them is keeping up with growth, but they appreciate being part of the Utah County community.

He said their mission and values are to "meet the needs of our community."

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E-mail: csmith@desnews.com