Public Health Review Morning Edition

Dr. Susan Kansagra, Chief Medical Officer at ASTHO, discusses updates to federal health initiatives that continue to impact public health agencies, including the latest report from the Make America Health Again Commission and recent activity regarding vaccines; Tiffany Day, Public Health Specialist with the Henry County Health Department in Ohio, previews what she’ll discuss as a speaker during ASTHO’s Succession Planning webinar session tomorrow, and highlights how succession planning can enhance the existing public health workforce; it’s Telehealth Awareness Week and ASTHO’s resource page has everything your department needs to expand its telehealth initiatives; and applications are now open for the second cohort of the Leadership Exchange for Adolescent Health Promotion Plus Community of Practice, which can help health agencies advance health education.  U.S. Dept of HHS: MAHA Commission Unveils Sweeping Strategy to Make Our Children Healthy Again U.S. Dept of HHS: CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to Meet September 18-19 ASTHO Blog: Levers for Preventing Chronic Disease That Intersect with Key MAHA Report Themes ASTHO Web Page: Telehealth ASTHO Webinar: Succession Planning Part 2 of 3: Laying the Groundwork ASTHO Web Page: Leadership Exchange for Adolescent Health Promotion Plus (LEAHP+) Community of Practice Cohort 2  

In today's installment of the PHIG Impact Report, Dr. Edward Simmer, ASTHO member and the Interim Director of the South Carolina Department of Public Health, discusses how his department is using the Public Health Infrastructure Grant. PHIG Partners Web Page PHIG Newsletter  

Marissa Eyanson, Director of Behavioral Health for the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, shares how her department is breaking down silos between its behavioral health and disability service systems to make it easier for Iowans to access care; Dr. Paul Petersen, Director of the Emergency Preparedness Program with the Tennessee Department of Health, explains how his state teamed up with ASTHO to strengthen its Healthcare Resource Tracking System (HRTS) and support emergency preparedness efforts; on September 16th, PHIG Partners Public Health Data Modernization Implementation Center Program will hold the first of two Q&A sessions on Wave 2 applications; and Thursday, September 18th, ASTHO will host its second session in its three-part Succession Planning series to help public health agencies develop a more resilient workforce. Iowa HHS: State of Iowa Launches New Behavioral Health and Disability Services Systems ASTHO Resource: Public Health Preparedness PHIG Partners: Public Health Data Modernization IC Program Wave 2 Q&A (Session 1) ASTHO Webinar: Succession Planning Part 2 of 3: Laying the Groundwork  

Dr. Sameer Vohra, Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, discusses the Op-Ed he co-authored in the Chicago Tribune on the progress his state has made in treating HIV; Brandon Kufalk, STI Unit Supervisor for the state of Wisconsin, explains the dramatic increase in Syphilis rates since 2019 and how his state has worked to reduce cases; a new ASTHO brief provides key considerations for STI programs during an emergency response; the next session of ASTHO’s Public Health Nursing Learning Lab Series takes place on September 24th; and in recognition of Suicide Prevention Month, ASTHO has resources that can help public health leaders protect the communities they serve.  Chicago Tribune: Ending the HIV epidemic is in sight. We can't stop now. Wisconsin Dept of Health Services: New Data Show Congenital Syphilis Increasing in Wisconsin While Other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) Decrease ASTHO Brief: Prioritizing Cases and Contacts: Considerations for STI Programs During Emergency Response ASTHO Webinar: Public Health Nursing Workforce Learning Lab - A Series ASTHO Web Page: Suicide Prevention Offices and Committees Legal Map  

Dr. Jen Layden, Senior Vice President for Population Health and Innovation at ASTHO, discusses her previous experience in data modernization and what’s to come as she takes on her new role; Dr. Rick Neitzel, professor of environmental health sciences at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, talks about the University’s partnership with Apple to study hearing and the impact of noise pollution; ASTHO invites state agencies to apply to be one of four states chosen for an in-person ethical wastewater surveillance training opportunity; and ASTHO welcomes new member Dr. Meg Sullivan, Deputy Secretary of Public Health Services at the Maryland Department of Health.  University of Michigan: Collaboration with Apple and World Health Organization studies sound exposure impacts on hearing ASTHO Web Page: Ethical Analysis for Infectious Disease Wastewater Surveillance Training Opportunity Meg Sullivan Bio  

Dr. Catherine Brown, State Epidemiologist and State Public Health Veterinarian at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, discusses ASTHO’s recent meeting with the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) and the importance of the One Health approach; a recent ASTHO blog article details the importance of preparing to ensure animals are accounted for during radiological incidents; Dr. Dave Chokshi, Chair of the Common Health Coalition, explains the changes made to FDA regulations ahead of respiratory vaccination season, and how the coalition can help public health leaders prepare; and ASTHO will hold its next succession planning webinar on September 18th, with a focus on laying the groundwork and incorporating data into planning efforts.  ASTHO Web Page: One Health Webinars ASTHO Blog: Planning for Animal Needs During a Radiological Incident Common Health Coalition ASTHO Webinar: Succession Planning Part 2 of 3: Laying the Groundwork  

Dr. Lindsay Weaver, State Health Commissioner of Indiana, discusses the public health programs that Indiana employed to achieve its lowest infant mortality rate in more than a century; Corinne Gillenwater, Analyst of Chronic Disease and Health Improvement at ASTHO, shares how ASTHO’s new e-learning module can equip Community Health Workers (CHWs) with the tools and resources they need to support healthy aging in individuals with Alzheimer's disease; the highlights from ASTHO’s recent INSPIRE: Readiness webinar on communicating with data during infectious disease emergencies are now available online; and the PHIG Partners Public Health Data Modernization Implementation Center Program is hosting two Q&A sessions for public health agencies to learn more about applying to Wave 2. Indiana Department of Health: HEALTH DEPARTMENT CELEBRATES HISTORIC DECREASE IN INFANT MORTALITY RATE ASTHO Learning Module: Equipping Community Health Workers to Address Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias in Their Communities ASTHO Web Page: Highlights from INSPIRE: Readiness - Communicating About Data and Surveillance During Infectious Disease Emergencies PHIG Partners: Public Health Data Modernization IC Program Wave 2 Q&A (Session 1)  

Dr. Dan Edney, ASTHO Member and State Health Officer of the Mississippi State Department of Health, and Dr. Susan Kansagra, Chief Medical Officer at ASTHO, discuss the Rural Health Transformation Program and the recent ASTHO panels that covered what states can expect and how some agencies are preparing; Tim Rosselet, Manager of Digital Learning and Design at ASTHO, shares more about Thursday’s upcoming Ignite, Accelerate, and Activate webinar session on emotional intelligence skills in the public health workplace; ASTHO is looking for state agencies to apply to participate in ethical wastewater surveillance trainings, which will take place in-person in four selected states; and ASTHO’s evidence-based technical packages can help departments improve community health interventions with tactical tools and strategies.  ASTHO Blog: Understanding and Applying for the Rural Health Transformation Program ASTHO Webinar: Ignite, Accelerate, and Activate: Series 3, Session 1: Building Emotional Intelligence Skills ASTHO Web Page: Ethical Analysis for Infectious Disease Wastewater Surveillance Training Opportunity ASTHO Resource: Evidence-Based Public Health  

Dr. Arti Barnes, Chief Medical Officer at the Illinois Department of Public Health, describes how her agency is working collaboratively with other state departments to enhance access to pediatric vaccinations; Jeffrey Ekoma, Senior Director of Government Affairs at ASTHO, discusses changes to the CDC, this month’s federal funding deadline, and more news from Capitol Hill in this week’s View From Washington, D.C. report; a full-length recording of ASTHO’s webinar on Navigating Ethical Issues in Wastewater Surveillance for Infectious Diseases is now available online; and ASTHO congratulates new member Dr. John Dunn on his appointment as Interim Commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Health.  ASTHO Newscast: 925: KFF Tracking Poll, Youth Vaccines ASTHO Legislative Alert: Summary of FY26 House LHHS Appropriations Bill ASTHO Web Page: INSPIRE: Readiness - Navigating Ethical Issues in Wastewater Surveillance for Infectious Diseases John Dunn Bio  

Former ASTHO President Dr. Anne Zink, Senior Clinical Fellow at Yale University and practicing emergency medicine physician, shares how PopHIVE, a database of de-identified, population-level health data, draws data from various sources, allowing public health providers to find patterns and make informed decisions; Nicholas Porter, Director for Environmental Health at ASTHO, discusses the public health threats that exist during floods and hurricanes, and what some states are doing to protect communities; ASTHO’s Wildfire and Wildfire Smoke Guidance and Resources can help jurisdictions strengthen their emergency preparedness; and ASTHOs latest legislative alert  PopHIVE Web Page ASTHO Blog: Responding to Environmental Health Threats Following Hurricanes ASTHO Web Page: Wildfire and Wildfire Smoke Guidance and Resources