Uchtman seeks seat on Cape County health board trustees

This is the sixth in a series of articles featuring candidates for the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center Board of Trustees in the April 6 municipal election. The trustees are unpaid and hold regular meetings monthly. Kara Clark Summers, county clerk since 2007, told the Southeast Missourian never in her tenure have so many people filed at one time to serve as PHC trustees.

Matt Uchtman, a doctor of chiropractic, owns Elevation Chiropractic and co-owns Kingdom Health and Wellness in Cape Girardeau. A native of Steeleville, Illinois, a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University, he and his family have had residence in Cape Girardeau County for a total of 15 years. Uchtman, 40, is seeking a full four-year term on the PHC Board of Trustees.

Why do you want to serve?

Public health is such a vital area in any community but COVID has just highlighted its importance. COVID has created a lot of uncertainty, lots of fear, and the citizens of Cape Girardeau County are seeking continued guidance and support. For me, my entire career has been centered on helping people restore and maintain their health. That’s what I do every single day.

I felt serving on the board is such a great opportunity for me to not only give back to the community but to use my knowledge base and experience to help guide some of that leadership — especially now, when people are really looking for it.

How do you feel personally about the still-in-effect July 9 mask order?

There’s definitely a time and a place for masks. I think it’s important, though, that we be objective and assess their effectiveness. What type of mask is being used? How are they being worn? Who is wearing them and how long are they wearing them? Are we talking about masks for people who are symptomatic or asymptomatic? I think it’s important to revisit this ongoing mandate and look at the mitigation strategies in other counties and examine their outcomes. As we look at protecting the community’s health overall, we should keep in mind the individual rights of people. There’s a time and a place where masks can absolutely be beneficial, but we must continually reevaluate to ensure our strategies are the most effective and are producing desired outcomes.

What are your qualifications/background?

I hold two bachelor’s degrees — one from SEMO in 2003 and another from Logan College of Chiropractic in 2005. I received my doctorate at Logan in 2007.

I’ve gotten certifications over the years in nutrition and functional neurology.

I’ve studied for years in specialized areas: cancer, heart disease, diabetes and immunity performance.

I’ve initiated a process for certification through FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) to guide and direct emergency response.

I’ve been on a sports performance council and a wellness advisory council for USA Wrestling.

I’m a husband and dad and a businessperson.

This kind of background, I think, gives me a perspective that will allow me to bring a lot of objectivity to decision making and asking different questions that might otherwise get left on the table.

What role should the trustees play in public health in Cape Girardeau County?

I think we should be very supportive to the health department and be an advocate for the community. It’s important that we allow for open communication across the board: for individuals, churches, schools and for business owners to make sure there are platforms available where people can be heard all the time, not just during COVID.

The board should provide confident leadership, especially in uncertain times, so we can come together as a community to lessen division, increase hope and trust and provide a way for people to make informed decisions.

What are your goals as a county health board trustee?

Something I’m passionate about is when we go through challenges, I want to make sure we learn. I do not believe COVID-19 will be the last thing we encounter. We must assess and reflect and be able to be prepared. It’s very important, and COVID has brought this to the surface, that we proactively strengthen our own health. We must take responsibility there. COVID highlighted this regarding people with pre-existing conditions and co-morbidities. I think we need to do a better job so that people know the action steps they can take to prepare themselves. Residents will make better and more confident decisions if they feel they’re informed instead of decision making based on fear.

Outside of COVID, we need to support and possibly improve on some of the awesome programs the health department already has in place: WIC (Women, Infants and Children nutrition), school programs, community wellness initiatives, not to mention additional programs of benefit to all the county.