Public Health Review Morning Edition

Brittany Giles-Cantrell, Program Director at the de Beaumont Foundation, tells us why de Beaumont’s 40 Under 40 in Public Health program is so valuable; Catherine Jones, ASTHO Government Affairs Senior Analyst, tells us her journey to ASTHO in this week’s “Get to Know ASTHO” segment; an interactive ASTHO tool compiles data to help your health agency in identifying measures for your suicide prevention programs; and ASTHO’s “Strengthening Administrative Preparedness” webinar will dive into everything you need to know for public health agency preparedness. de Beaumont Foundation Web Page: 40 Under 40 in Public Health – Nominations ASTHO Web Page: Suicide Indicator Tool ASTHO Webinar: Strengthening Administrative Preparedness in Public Health Agencies

Esther Muña, Chief Executive Officer of the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation and Territorial Health Official for the Northern Mariana Islands, explains how their Public Health Infrastructure Grant (PHIG) funds allowed them to improve security and integrate care through a new electronic health record system; Jerry Larkin, Director of the Department of Health of Rhode Island, describes how PHIG has been an asset to his department in preventing illness and enabling advancements; Jacki Tulafono, Division Head for the Department of Health in American Samoa, shares how PHIG dollars support key functions at their agency, allowing them to provide services to those that need it most. PHIG Partners Web Page PHIG Newsletter

Rita Condon, Program Manager for obesity, nutrition, and physical activity with the Department of Health in New Mexico, discusses the agency’s annual child obesity update and the new initiatives in place to promote healthy eating; Andy Baker-White, Senior Director for State Health Policy at ASTHO, reports a new legislative trend of banning certain food dyes and additives in states across the country; ASTHO’s INSPIRE Readiness webinar on the importance of regional data in decision-making takes place May 22nd; Dr. Anne Zink, ASTHO past president and former Alaska State Health Officer, was appointed to the Steering Committee for the Vaccine Integrity Project. New Mexico Childhood Obesity 2024 Report ASTHO: States Moving to Prohibit Additives and Dyes in Food ASTHO: INSPIRE: Readiness - Building a Data-Ready Ecosystem for Public Health Response Vaccine Integrity Project

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s new Health and Environment Laboratories improve the state's ability to respond to disease outbreaks and health threats; Get to know Catherine Murphy; the impact of the Public Health AmeriCorps program at the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services; the Pennsylvania Department of Health celebrates 120 years; and the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation of the Northern Mariana Islands has been awarded a 2025 Network of Practice Grant from the Bloomberg American Health Initiative. New Kansas Health & Environment Laboratories AmeriCorps in Action: Strengthening Public Health in Iowa PA Department of Health Celebrates 120 Years of Service The Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation of the Northern Mariana Islands awarded a 2025 Network of Practice Grant

Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, Chief Medical Executive for the state of Michigan, explains the state’s Public Health Data Dashboard, which visualizes public health trends by district and helps to shape awareness of public health’s role in the community; David Stone, Accreditation Analyst at ASTHO, discusses the importance of accreditation and ASTHO’s guide to sustaining efforts across health departments; Dr. Scott Harris, ASTHO President and State Health Officer for Alabama, appeared on a recent Public Health on Call podcast; Dr. Nirav Shah, former ASTHO President and former Director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, will give the commencement address at the University of Maine in Farmington; ASTHO will host an event being an effective crisis communicator Thursday, May 8th. Michigan’s Public Health Data Dashboard ASTHO: A Guide for Sustainable Public Health Accreditation Podcast: A Conversation with Alabama’s State Health Officer ASTHO: Don’t Panic: A Panel on How to be an Effective Crisis Communicator UMF Announces Dr. Nirav Shah as Commencement Speaker

Dr. Alex Walley, professor of medicine at the Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, addresses the opioid overdose crisis and community engagement, topics at the Rhode Island’s Community Overdose Engagement (CODE) Summit; Sean Graham, Deputy Director of Emergency Preparedness for the State of Georgia Department of Public Health, discusses the importance of radiological preparedness; ASTHO resources for Mental Health Awareness Month; Dr. Victor Ramos Otero, Secretary of Health for the Puerto Rico Department of Health, honored at the 11th Preventive Health and Immunization Congress for his leadership and accomplishments. Rhode Island’s Community Overdose Engagement (CODE) Initiative and Summit National Alliance for Radiation Readiness ASTHO: Public Health’s Role in Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention Victor Ramos Otero, MD, Puerto Rico Department of Health

Jeffrey Ekoma, ASTHO Senior Director for Government Affairs, explains how he came to ASTHO and how his team provides value for members; Vish Viswanath, Professor of Health Communication and Population Sciences at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, explains how an upcoming ASTHO webinar will prepare you to be a better crisis communicator; the Association of Immunization Managers, is celebrating its 25-year anniversary; and Jeff Brown, Acting Commissioner of Health for the State of New Jersey, is ASTHO’s newest member. ASTHO Webinar: Don't Panic! A Panel on How to be an Effective Crisis Communicator Association of Immunization Managers Web Page: AIM 2024 Annual Report ASTHO Web Page: New Jersey | Jeff Brown

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

Christy Jones, President and CEO of the Monday Solutions Group, details how leaders can benefit from skill development in preparation for several upcoming ASTHO Ignite Leadership Series webinars; Dr. Allison Arwady, Director of the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the CDC, tells us how data has influenced real change in the fight against opioids; and on Thursday, April 24, ASTHO will host a webinar on the benefits of Successful Academic Health Department Partnerships. ASTHO Webinar: Performance Management Techniques for Successful Decision-Making CDC Web Page: CDC Reports Nearly 24% Decline in U.S. Drug Overdose Deaths ASTHO Webinar: Exploring Successful Academic Health Department Partnerships ASTHO Web Page: Subscribe

Dr. Allison Arwady, Director of the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the CDC, tells us about historic progress in the field of overdose prevention; Catherine Murphy, ASTHO Governmetn Affairs Analyst, discusses the advocacy effort from ASTHO’s Spring Leadership Forum; and Trust for America’s Health will host a Congressional Briefing on April 23rd that is focused on its Ready or Not 2025 report. CDC Web Page: CDC Reports Nearly 24% Decline in U.S. Drug Overdose Deaths ASTHO Blog Article: Strengthening Public Health Advocacy at ASTHO’s Spring Leadership Forum Trust for America’s Health Web Page: TFAH Congressional Briefing – Ready or Not ASTHO Public Health Review Morning Edition Episode 882: Harris Testifies on Hill; 2025 TFAH Report

Sharon Gilmartin, Executive Director of the Safe States Alliance, tells us about the Keep America Safe Coalition; Dr. Victor Ramos, Secretary of the Puerto Rico Department of Health and an ASTHO member, breaks down the health priorities for Puerto Rico; ASTHO has several resources to keep your team prepared furing Sexually Transmitted Infection Awareness Month; and Julia Arel is the Vermont Department of Helath Interim Commissioner of Health. Keep America Safe Coalition Web Page Safe States Alliance Web Page ASTHO Web Page: Sexually Transmitted Infections ASTHO Web Page: Julie Arel