Public Health Review Morning Edition

Cara Biddlecom, Interim Public Health Director at the Oregon Health Authority Public Health Division, talks about the launch of the first-ever state-sponsored psilocybin therapy program; Amani Echols, Policy and Government Affairs Manager for the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, discusses an article ASTHO worked on about public health approaches to perinatal substance use; and ASTHO will launch a new website next month aimed at strengthening public health preparedness. ASTHO Webpage: Supporting Mental Health – Addressing a New Public Health Crisis Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs News Release: AMCHP and ASTHO Release Maternal and Child Health Journal Special Issue – Public Health Approaches to Perinatal Substance Use ASTHO Webinar: INSPIRE – Readiness Website Launch - Strengthening Public Health Preparedness ASTHO Webpage: Stay Informed

Dr. Barbara Wallace, Director of the Division of Chronic Disease Prevention at the New York State Department of Health, discusses various strategies to curb tobacco use; Dr. Marcus Plescia, ASTHO Chief Medical Officer, worries that too many sick people could eventually overwhelm hospitals as flu and RSV are increasing; and Dr. Steven Stack, ASTHO President and Commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Public Health, says work is underway to make the drug that can reverse an opioid overdose available in more places. ASTHO Webpage: Tobacco and Nicotine Products – The Unwavering Public Health Crisis ASTHO Blog Article: From the Chief Medical Officer – Preventing Respiratory Disease Spread with Less Authority, More Influence Rhode Island Current News Article: States Strive to Get Opioid Overdose Drug to More People ASTHO Webpage: Legislative Alerts

Dr. Manisha Juthani, Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Health, outlines the continued challenges to public health legal authority; Maggie Davis, ASTHO Director of State Health Policy, discusses a big win for Indiana as funding for public health will jump by 1500 percent; and learn how to protect your agency from a cyber-attack in an ASTHO video discussion. ASTHO Webpage: Containing and Preventing the Spread of Infectious Disease: A Cornerstone of Public Health ASTHO Report: Investing in Indiana's Public Health Infrastructure Through Community-Driven Policy Change Politico News Article: A red state boosted public health funding by 1,500 percent. This is how they did it. ASTHO Blog Article: Public Health's Silent Defender – Cybersecurity

Dr. Steven Stack, ASTHO President and Commissioner of Public Health for the Commonwealth of Kentucky, discusses substance misuse and overdose prevention strategies; Dr. Susan Kansagra, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Public Health, dives into North Carolina's discovery of lead contamination in applesauce pouches that has led to the recall of at least three brands of the children's snack; and ASTHO has mapped an approach that public health agencies can use to help address firearm violence. ASTHO Webpage: Substance Misuse and Overdose Prevention Washington Post News Article: Applesauce Lead Cases in Kids Surge Amid Questions on FDA Oversight ASTHO Report: A Roadmap for Using a Public Health Approach to Prevent Firearm Injury

Dr. Lindsay Weaver, State Health Commissioner for the Indiana Department of Health, discusses the state's campaign to increase investment in public health; Dr. Ralph Alvarado, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Public Health, explains how Tennessee agencies are working together this season to educate audiences about the dangers of excessive alcohol use; and an ASTHO webinar offering strategies to improve access to emergency contraception is open for registration. ASTHO Webpage: 2024 Legislative Prospectus Series ASTHO Webpage: Strengthening the Public Health Workforce: Streamlining Government Processes and Dedicated Sustainable Funding Tennessee Department of Health News Release: Tennessee Launches Campaign to Promote Safe Alcohol Use During Holidays ASTHO Webinar: Provider Strategies to Improve Access to Emergency Contraception

Dr. Jerome Adams, former United States Surgeon General, says businesses learned from the pandemic that public health is a worthy investment; Destani Bizune, an Epidemiologist in the Office of Antibiotic Stewardship at the CDC, discusses the CDC's guidance for public health agencies based on its Core Elements of Antibiotic Stewardship framework; Vanessa Iheanachor, PhD, a Health Communication Specialist at the CDC, tells us health inequities are another concern to address; and Cara Biddlecom is now the Interim Public Health Director at the Oregon Health Authority's Public Health Division. CNN News Article: The US has a mental health crisis that could undermine our democracy, US surgeons general say CDC Webpage: Core Elements of Antibiotic Stewardship for Health Departments CDC Webpage: About U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week (USAAW) ASTHO Webpage: Cara Biddlecom, MPH

Dr. Sameer Vohra, Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, examines the third edition of the state's maternal morbidity and mortality report; Dr. Umair Shah, Secretary of Health for the Washington State Department of Health, discusses Washington State's plan to prevent suicide and save lives; Massachusetts is working with communities to prevent suicide, overdose, and adverse childhood experiences; and an ASTHO blog article offers advice for members dealing with the rise of seasonal illness. Illinois Department of Public Health News Release: IDPH Releases Third Edition of Maternal Morbidity and Mortality Report Covering 2018-2020 Illinois Department of Public Health Webpage: Maternal Mortality in Illinois Seattle Times Opinion Article: Suicide prevention starts with each one of us ASTHO Webpage: Closing the Distance in Massachusetts ASTHO Blog Article: From the Chief Medical Officer – Preventing Respiratory Disease Spread with Less Authority, More Influence

ASTHO President and Kentucky Health Commissioner Dr. Steven Stack says easier access to Naloxone could help prevent many overdose deaths; former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams says Naloxone should be as easy to find as AED devices that prevent heart attacks; ASTHO Chief Medical Officer Dr. Marcus Plescia says Good Samaritan laws can encourage people to respond to overdoses when they witness them; Honour McDaniel, Director of Maternal and Infant Health Initiatives, March of Dimes, Alabama, says policies can help address maternity care deserts; ASTHO has job openings; and sign up for ASTHO's Public Health Weekly email newsletter. ASTHO Deskside Briefing: Public Health Officials Discuss Increasing Naloxone Access ASTHO Webpage: Public Health Legal Mapping Center March of Dimes Webpage: Maternity Care Deserts Report (2022) ASTHO Job Opening: Manager, Contracts ASTHO Job Opening: Temp, Accounting Analyst ASTHO Email Newsletters: Sign Up Here

Dr. Jim McDonald, Commissioner of Health, New York State Department of Health, gives an order that allows New York pharmacists to administer RSV vaccines to older adults and pregnant people without a prescription; de Beaumont President and CEO Dr. Brian Castrucci says the book he edited with ASTHO CEO Dr. Mike Fraser, Building Strategic Skills for Better Health, is a must-read for every new or current public health professional; ASTHO plans a webinar to tell you how to improve access to emergency contraception; and sign up ASTHO's public health newsletters. New York State Department of Health Issues Standing Order to Allow Pharmacists to Administer RSV Vaccines to Older Adults without a Prescription ASTHO Webpage: Building Strategic Skills for Better Health ASTHO Webinar: Provider Strategies to Improve Access to Emergency Contraception ASTHO Email Newsletters: Sign Up Here

Dr. Mark Levine, Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Health, says ASTHO's new policy statement on suicide prevention offers many recommendations including a call to improve access to health care services for those at highest risk; Dr. Robert McDonald, Medical Officer in the Division of STD Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), says most cases of newborn syphilis likely could be prevented with testing and treatment during pregnancy; Dr. Susan Kansagra, Assistant Secretary for Public Health and Director of the North Carolina Division of Public Health, says a recent investigation that found lead in some pureed fruit pouches is testament to the hard work that public health agencies perform every day on behalf of their communities; and sign up for ASTHO's legislative alert emails. ASTHO News Release: ASTHO Releases Five Health Policy Statements CDC Webpage: U.S. Syphilis Cases in Newborns Continue to Increase – A 10-Times Increase Over a Decade The Hill Webpage: Fruit puree pouches recalled after elevated lead levels found in North Carolina children: FDA ASTHO Legislative Alerts: Sign Up Here