Public Health Review Morning Edition

Brian Weaver, Lead Policy Advisor at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, tells us about an emergency rule to strengthen standards that protect children from lead exposure; Annie Evans, ASTHO’s Director of Preparedness, discusses a recent project that aimed to create an official definition of disability for the National Syndromic Surveillance Program; a new ASTHO Legislative alert details President Trump’s FY-26 discretionary budget proposal; and ASTHO’s “Don’t Panic!” webinar on how to be an effective crisis communicator is on May 8th at 1 p.m. Wisconsin Department of Health Services News Release: As Previewed in 2025 State of the State Address, Gov. Evers Approves DHS Emergency Rule to Strengthen Standards to Prevent Further Hazardous Lead Exposure to Wisconsin Kids Medscape Web Page: Data Routinely Captured in ED EMRs Can Support People With Disabilities During Public Health Emergencies ASTHO Legislative Alert: President Trump Releases FY26 Budget Proposal ASTHO Web Page: Subscribe ASTHO Webinar: Don't Panic! A Panel on How to be an Effective Crisis Communicator  

Kelly Crosbie, Director of the North Carolina Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services, tells us about the community crisis center initiative in her state; Carolyn Mullen, ASTHO's Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Relations, discusses Congress’ to-do list as they return from a break; an ASTHO webinar later this month will dive into administrative preparedness for public health emergencies; and two members have been elected as ASTHO Board of Directors Regional Representatives. NCDHHS News Release: NCDHHS and Trillium Health Resources Announce New Crisis Centers ASTHO Webinar: Strengthening Administrative Preparedness in Public Health Agencies  

Dr. Kaitlan Baston, ASTHO Alum and the former New Jersey Commissioner of Health, reflects on her time in the role as she steps down; Dr. Hang Lu, Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Media at the University of Michigan, discusses an article about the use of Generative AI for vaccine misbelief correction state and territory leaders, ASTHO staff, and more are attending Prep Summit 2025 this week; and ASTHO would like to welcome Dr. Meena Seshamani, the Secretary of the Maryland Department of Health, as its newest member. New Jersey Department of Health News Release: ICYMI: Governor Murphy Announces Jeff Brown to Serve as Acting Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Health ScienceDirect Article: Generative AI for vaccine misbelief correction – Insights from targeting extraversion and pseudoscientific beliefs Preparedness Summit Web Page ASTHO Web Page: Maryland | Meena Seshamani, MD, PhD  

Dr. Joseph Kanter, ASTHO CEO, begins the new “Get To Know ASTHO” series, which will highlight different experts at ASTHO; Madison Yerges, Section Supervisor for the Student Education Section at the Center for Foundational Health under the umbrella of the Kentucky Department for Public Health, tells us about an initiative to integrate public health content into classrooms across the state; and you can join ASTHO for a webinar on how to be an effective crisis communicator. Integrating Public Health Content Into The Classroom Web Page ASTHO Webinar: Don't Panic! A Panel on How to be an Effective Crisis Communicator PublicHealthCareers.org  

Dr. Kaitlan Baston, former Commissioner of Health for the New Jersey Department of Health and an ASTHO Member, outlines what New Jersey has been doing to address opioids; Kate Murray, Program Supervisor for Long COVID and Post-COVID Conditions at the Minnesota Department of Health, discusses her program and how the work is going; an ASTHO webinar on May 1 focuses on Academic Health Departmetn Partnerships; and ASTHO Member and the New York Commissioner of Health, Dr. James McDonald, will speak at Blooming Day 2025 on May 2. New Jersey Department of Health News Release: NJ Health Department Announces Waiver to Improve Access to Opioid Treatment Services New Jersey Department of Health News Release: ICYMI – Governor Murphy Announces Jeff Brown to Serve as Acting Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Health Minnesota Department of Health Web Page: Long COVID Resources and Support ASTHO Webinar: Pathways to Academic Health Department Partnerships: Successes and Best Practices Blooming Day 2025 Web Page  

Emi Chutaro, Executive Director of the Pacific Island Health Officers Association, explains what she hopes others gain from Pacific Islander Heritage Month; Paul Bonta, Director of Government Relations for the Safe States Alliance, tells us about his organization’s most recent advocacy day; and a new ASTHO blog article highlights recent Congressional hearings focused on key challenges facing older adults. PIHOA Web Page National Archives Web Page: Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Safe States Alliance Web Page ASTHO Blog Article: Hearings Spotlight Inflation, Opioids, and Other Challenges Facing Older Adults ASTHO Web Page: State and Territorial Administrative Readiness (STAR) Center  

Dr. Sameer Vohra, Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health and an ASTHO Member, explains how his state is taking action for youth behavioral health; Aurora GrantWingate, Member and Partner Engagement Manager at the National Association of Community Health Workers, tells us why CHWs are especially important in the island areas; and Dr. Dr. Ayanna Bennett, Director of the District of Columbia Department of Health and an ASTHO Member has been appointed to the Big Cities Health Coalition Board of Directors. ASTHO Report: Supporting Community Health Workers in Territories and Freely Associated States Big Cities Health Coalition News Release: BCHC announces 2025-26 board directors and executive officers ASTHO Web Page: PH-HERO  

Adrienne Ammerman, Founder and CEO of Arclet, explains how her platform will help health communicators; Amelia Poulin, ASTHO Assistant Director of Emerging Infectious Disease, breaks down a blog article on what states are doing to combat syphilis and congenital syphilis; and Dr. Robbie Goldstein, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and an ASTHO member, will give the keynote address for the Advances in Global Disease Surveillance event. Arclet Web Page ASTHO Blog Article: States Amending Policies to Slow Congenital Syphilis Increases Advances in Global Disease Surveillance: An Introduction to BEACON Web Page ASTHO Web Page: Subscribe  

Dr. Susan Kansagra, ASTHO Chief Medical Officer, outlines the recommendations from the most recent ACIP meeting; Kathleen Amos, Director of Workforce Development at the Public Health Foundation, explains how Academic Health Department Partnerships can be beneficial; and an upcoming ASTHO webinar focuses on strengthening public health risk communication. CDC Web Page: ACIP Meeting Information ASTHO Webinar: Exploring Successful Academic Health Department Partnerships ASTHO Web Page: Calendar of Events ASTHO Webinar: Don't Panic! A Panel on How to be an Effective Crisis Communicator  

Dr. John Wiessman, Associate Dean for Practice at UNC Chapel Hill, remembers his former mentor, Mary Selecky, who passed away on April 7; Finn Lanning, Youth Tobacco Prevention Coordinator for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, tells us about a successful Take Down Tobacco Day; and ASTHO’s Adrianna Evans contributed to an article that was recently published in Medscape. Kansas Department of Health and Environment News Release: Resist and the Tobacco Free Kansas Coalition Host Take Down Tobacco Day at the Capitol Medscape Article: Data Routinely Captured in ED EMRs Can Support People With Disabilities During Public Health Emergencies ASTHO Web Page: Subscribe