Public Health Review Morning Edition

Jeffrey Ekoma, ASTHO's Senior Director for Government Affairs, says the latest version of the Build Back Better Act includes billions for public health projects; Richa Ranade, ASTHO's Senior Director of Overdose Prevention, explains the new HHS overdose prevention strategy; ASTHO publishes a new brief that provides an overview of policies states and territories have enacted to increase housing opportunities for people who are homeless, battling substance use disorder, or dealing with mental illness; and Clare Coleman, President and CEO of the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association, shares a "thankful" note with listeners. ASTHO Legislative Alert: Congressional Democrats Release Build Back Better Act Text HHS News Release: HHS Secretary Becerra Announces New Overdose Prevention Strategy ASTHO Brief: Preventing Overdose and Suicide Through Housing Reform APHA webpage: Public Health Thank You Day

A panel of ASTHO members met with journalists for a virtual news conference Thursday to discuss the new pediatric COVID-19 vaccine and the challenges involved with convincing hesitant parents to vaccinate their kids against the virus. Dr. Nirav Shah, ASTHO President and Director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention; Dr. Anne Zink, ASTHO President-elect and Alaska's Chief Medical Officer; Dr. Jose Romero, Arkansas' Secretary of Health; and Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt, Director of the District of Columbia Department of Health each offered comments during the call. YouTube: ASTHO Media Briefing

Dr. Marcus Plescia, ASTHO's Chief Medical Officer, reacts to the decision to recommend approval of a pediatric COVID-19 vaccine; Dr. Nicole Alexander Scott, Director of the Rhode Island Department of Health, says Health Equity Zones have helped many communities in her state weather the pandemic; ASTHO publishes a new blog article about the tobacco industry's assault on attempts to prohibit the sale of some or all flavored tobacco products; and Jim Blumenstock, ASTHO's Senior Vice President of Pandemic Response and Recovery, appreciates public health workers with a "thankful" note. CDC webpage: COVID-19 ACIP Vaccine Recommendations Rhode Island Department of Health webpage: Health Equity Zones Initiative ASTHO Blog Article: Despite Major Benefits, Flavored Tobacco Regulations Face an Uphill Battle Led by Big Tobacco APHA webpage: Public Health Thank You Day

Dr. Kristina Box, Indiana's State Health Commissioner, discusses the complex task of vaccinating hesitant pregnant people against COVID-19; ASTHO releases advice from community groups gathered to explore possible responses to vaccine misinformation and disinformation; Courtney Youngbar, a senior analyst on ASTHO's Environmental Health team, shares why One Health Day is important for people and animals alike; ASTHO lists new job openings; and Dr. Georges Benjamin, Executive Director of the American Public Health Association, tells us what he's thankful for this year. ASTHO Brief: Community Partners Offer Key Insights to Health Departments for Increasing Vaccine Confidence CNN webpage: How to Protect Pregnant People from COVID-19 ASTHO webpage: Public Health Review podcast ASTHO Blog Article: United for One Health CDC webpage: One Health Day ASTHO webpage: Job Opportunities in Public Health and at ASTHO APHA webpage: Public Health Thank You Day

Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt, Director of the Washington D.C. Department of Health, addresses the importance of answering parents' questions about COVID-19 vaccines for children; Dr. Lee Norman, Secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, tells a national forum how his office responds to social media misinformation and disinformation; Dr. Mishka Terplan says stigma prevents pregnant people from getting treatment for substance use; and ASTHO offers a new online learning opportunity for jurisdictions looking to build a program to mitigate the risk of stigma for people who use drugs. Center for Homeland Defense and Security webpage: The Next Season of Pandemic Response recorded session ASTHO webpage: Public Health Review podcast ASTHO Learning: Regrounding our Response Program Toolkit – Maryland Department of Health

Maggie Davis, ASTHO's Director of State Health Policy, examines the flurry of lawsuits and court orders resulting from legislative and executive prohibitions of school masking policies; Lindsey Myers, ASTHO's Vice President of Social and Behavioral Health, says public health departments can help kids who've lost a parent or grandparent to COVID-19 by pursuing a population health approach to their response; ASTHO wins the Public Policy Award from the National Forum for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention; and Dr. Nicole Alexander Scott, Director of the Rhode Island Department of Health, tells us what she's thankful for this Thanksgiving season. ASTHO Blog Article: Courts Considering Challenges to States Blocking School Mask Requirements ASTHO Blog Article: The Children COVID-19 Left Behind – A Public Health Call to Action APHA webpage: Public Health Thank You Day

Dr. Brian Castrucci, President and CEO of the de Beaumont Foundation, explains how public health departments can use upcoming data from the PH Wins workforce study fielded by his organization and ASTHO; Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, Director of the Ohio Department of Health, offers some not-so-scary Halloween tips for trick-or-treaters; and Dr. David Scrase, Secretary of the New Mexico Health and Human Services Department, offers Thanksgiving holiday travel advice during a virtual news conference. de Beaumont Foundation webpage: PH Wins Springfield News-Sun article: Trick or Treat – Ohio Shares COVID-19 Safety Tips for Halloween

Dr. Georges Benjamin, Executive Director of the American Public Health Association, discusses the key takeaways from this week's APHA annual conference; Dr. Mishka Terplan, a nationally recognized expert in the care of pregnant and parenting people with substance use disorders, tells ASTHO members the best way to help those in crisis; ASTHO offers two resources about first responders and their work helping people with substance use disorders; and ASTHO receives the Public Policy Award from the National Forum for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention today. APHA website: APHA 2021 Annual Meeting and Expo ASTHO Blog Article: A New Approach to Breaking the Cycle – Creating a Shift in Emergency Medical Services to Address Substance Use Disorder ASTHO Report: Innovations in Overdose Response National Forum for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention website: Annual Meeting

James Blumenstock, ASTHO's Senior Vice President for Pandemic Response and Recovery, shares how states and territories are preparing for the possibility of a pediatric COVID-19 vaccine; Kathy Dolan, Director of Environmental Health at ASTHO, tells us how ASTHO members can tackle climate change in their jurisdictions; and we feature three ASTHO job openings. FDA webpage: Comirnaty and Pfizer – BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine Center for Homeland Defense and Security webpage: The Next Season of Pandemic Response – What Leaders Need to Know this Fall and Winter JPHMP Article: Approaching Climate Change – The Role of State and Territorial Health Agencies ASTHO webpage: Job Opportunities in Public Health and at ASTHO

Dr. Brian Castrucci, President and CEO of the non-profit de Beaumont Foundation, considers the public health workforce crisis; Dr. Kristina Box, Indiana's State Health Commissioner, says public health departments can help reduce stigma for pregnant people with substance use disorders; ASTHO publishes a new blog article examining the growing number of legal fights over masks in schools; and a webinar to discuss leadership among the community health workforce is scheduled for next month. New York Times: Why Public Health Faces a Crisis Across the U.S. de Beaumont Foundation webpage: "Staffing Up" Research – Health Departments Need to Grow by 80% to Provide Basic Services The Commonwealth Fund webpage: "It's Really, Truly Everywhere"- How the Opioid Crisis Worsened with COVID-19 ASTHO Experts Blog Article: Courts Considering Challenges to States Blocking School Mask Requirements ASTHO Event: Promoting Community Health Worker Leadership