State Rep. Kyle Mullica, a Northglenn Democrat, was honored Thursday with the DentaQuest Health Equity Hero Award, a national award that recognizes individuals for working to expand access to health care, especially in underserved communities.

But Mullica wasn’t recognized for his work as a lawmaker. 

Mullica, an emergency-room nurse at Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center, was recognized for his five weeks in the Cook County Jail in Chicago, helping care for patients during a COVID-19 outbreak in April and May while the General Assembly was adjourned because of the pandemic. 

Mullica worked 12-hour shifts, five days a week at the jail. At the time, the jail had one of the largest outbreaks in the nation, with 500 inmates and 300 guards sickened by the virus. By the end of April, six inmates and one guard had died from COVID-19, as reported by WBEZ and ProPublica.

Mullica was among a dozen recipients of the DentaQuest awards announced Thursday. 

The award comes with a $5,000 charitable contribution in the recipient’s name, and Mullica is sending those contributions to the Ralston House of Arvada and Senior Hub of Northglenn. “These charities are doing essential work to protect and support at-risk seniors and youth, Mullica said in a statement. “So many Coloradans rely on Ralston House and Senior Hub for access to health care, critical services, nutritional meals and so much more. I could not be more grateful for their dedication to serving our community.”

According to a statement, DentaQuest Health Equity Hero awards program “celebrates and promotes individuals who are going above and beyond to expand access to equitable oral care and health care – especially in underserved communities. These community leaders are inspiring collective action on behalf of our neighbors with the greatest needs and the fewest resources.”

DentaQuest is an oral health care company that manages dental and vision benefits for more than 27 million Americans and provides direct patient care through a network of more than 80 oral health centers in six states, including Colorado.

Mullica was re-elected to his second term in the Colorado House last week.

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