Public Health Review Morning Edition

At the ASTHO Leadership Forum, Justa Encarnacion, ASTHO member and Commissioner of Health for the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Health, shared how island jurisdictions are tackling some of the nation’s toughest health challenges with collaboration, data, and community-driven prevention. Encarnacion discusses the Fentanyl Free PR–USVI Initiative, a partnership with Puerto Rico and federal agencies that blends enforcement with public health strategies using targeted education, naloxone training, and even wastewater surveillance to detect opioid trends and respond quickly. She explains how real-time data helps the territory pinpoint where opioids are appearing and tailor prevention efforts to specific communities. Talking Public Health with Jen Layden States are embracing the MAHA food agenda

What does it really mean for a food system to be resilient, and why does it matter for public health? In this episode, we hear from Elsie Moore, Postdoctoral Associate in the Division of Nutritional Sciences at Cornell University, who breaks down the concept of food system resilience and why it goes far beyond simply maintaining food supply. True resilience, she explains, means ensuring that food remains sufficient, appropriate, and accessible to all communities. Moore explores the complexity of modern food systems, from farms and distributors to government agencies and public health programs, and explains how shocks like hurricanes, supply chain breakdowns, workforce shortages, or rising food costs, can ripple across the system and impact population health. She also discusses how state-level food system resilience councils can help coordinate across sectors, institutionalize lessons learned from crises like COVID-19, and plan proactively for future challenges. Food System Resilience: A Planning Guide for State Governments | ASTHO Meeting Home Page Leadership Power Hour: Your Launchpad for Impact | ASTHO

A parasitic pest once eradicated from the United States is moving closer to the border and public health officials are paying close attention. In this episode, Dr. Jennifer Shuford an ASTHO member and Commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services discusses the growing threat posed by the New World Screwworm as cases spread north through Central America and Mexico. Dr. Shuford explains how Texas is preparing for a potential return of the parasite, an organism that primarily affects livestock but can also cause severe infections in humans. From clinician alerts and lab guidance to enhanced environmental surveillance, Texas is taking a proactive approach to detection and containment.

At the ASTHO Spring Leadership Forum in Arlington, public health leaders met with lawmakers on Capitol Hill to discuss the issues shaping health policy across the country. In this episode, Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, an ASTHO member and Chief Medical Executive for the State of Michigan, shares how bipartisan conversations with members of Congress revealed something often overlooked in today’s political climate: a shared commitment to healthier, safer communities. Plus, Carolyn Mullen, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs & Public Relations at ASTHO, provides a behind-the-scenes look at meetings with lawmakers during ASTHO’s annual Hill Day, where state and territorial health officials discussed public health infrastructure, vaccination rates, and the impact of federal funding decisions on communities. Leadership Power Hour: Your Launchpad for Impact | ASTHO Flu has been worse than covid this winter. Here’s why. - The Washington Post Subscribe | ASTHO

In this episode, ASTHO CEO, Dr. Joseph Kanter, shares key insights from this year’s Spring Leadership Forum, an in-person opportunity to exchange lessons learned, strengthen peer support, and tackle the complex realities facing public health leaders today. From a productive visit with leadership at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to renewed conversations about partnerships around healthy eating and chronic disease prevention, Dr. Kanter reflects on why strong federal–state collaboration is essential, how federal initiatives live or die at the state and territorial level, and how effective partnerships make all the difference. Four Ways Public Health Agencies Are Strengthening Grants Management | ASTHO Workforce Planning, Incorporating Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals ASTHO (@ASTHO) on X⁠ ⁠Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (@asthonews.bsky.social)⁠ ⁠Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (@asthonews) • Instagram profile⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/association-of-state-and-territorial-health-officials/⁠ ⁠ASTHO (Association of State and Territorial Health Officials)

What does it take to build a resilient public health system? Keshana Owens-Cody, Director of the Office of Public Health Infrastructure at the New York State Department of Health, talks about incorporating core competencies into public health agencies and why fostering a true culture of learning is essential in an era of constant change. Owens-Cody explains how competency-based frameworks can help agencies move beyond “survival mode” and toward a more intentional, organized approach to workforce development, performance evaluations, accreditation, and long-term infrastructure building. Later, Catherine Murphy, Senior Analyst of Government Affairs at ASTHO, discusses the status of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA). Originally passed in 2006, the sweeping preparedness law underpins key programs supporting medical countermeasures, hospital readiness, and emergency response nationwide. Meeting Home Page ASTHO’s 14 Most Popular Resources of 2025 | ASTHO The Future of PAHPA and National Public Health Preparedness | ASTHO Subscribe | ASTHO Meeting Home Page

Public health agencies across the country face a growing workforce shortage—but Missouri is tackling the challenge head-on. In this episode, we explore how Missouri internship programs are building a diverse, skilled pipeline of future public health professionals while strengthening partnerships between state and local agencies. Scott Allen, an Administrator and Health Officer of the Webster County Health Unit shares how hands-on internships are giving students real-world experience in areas like accreditation, emergency preparedness, food safety, and wastewater policy while delivering immediate value to rural communities. We’re also joined by Brenna Davidson, an Operational Excellence Leader with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, who explains how strategic investments through the Public Health Infrastructure Grant (PHIG) funding helped launch and scale the program. She highlights the importance of removing barriers with paid internships, broadening recruitment beyond traditional public health fields, and strengthening leadership development through innovative initiatives like the Leadership Challenge.

What if public health agencies could access better, faster, and more complete data without giving up control? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Jen Layden, senior vice president of population and innovation at ASTHO, to explore the new Public Health Data Consortium and what it means for the future of public health decision-making. Dr. Layden explains how this unique public–private partnership is designed to improve data access, quality, and analytics while keeping governance firmly in the hands of state and territorial health agencies. She discusses why mortality data is a critical starting point, how emerging technologies like APIs and advanced analytics can help close long-standing data gaps, and what new insights could come from linking public health data with sources like pharmacy, claims, and real-world data.Leadership Power Hour: Your Launchpad for Impact | ASTHO

Today, two conversations highlight how policy shapes public health, both in communities and on Capitol Hill. First, Beth Giambrone, Senior Analyst for State Health Policy at ASTHO, explains how states are rethinking their approach to hypertension. From telehealth and remote blood pressure monitoring to expanded insurance coverage, policymakers are leveraging new technology to improve heart health across the lifespan. Later, Jeffrey Ekoma, ASTHO’s Senior Director of Government Affairs, shares what’s top of mind in Washington in preparing for ASTHO’s upcoming Hill Day, from FY26 and FY27 appropriations to protecting public health infrastructure funding, navigating grant terminations. Jeffrey outlines key advocacy priorities, including sustained federal investment, workforce stability, and emerging issues such as vaccines, preparedness, and federal leadership transitions. Preventing Hypertension Through State Policy Efforts | ASTHO Leadership Power Hour: Your Launchpad for Impact | ASTHO Four Ways Public Health Agencies Are Strengthening Grants Management | ASTHO

A major measles outbreak is testing public health systems, community trust, and the power of vaccination. In this episode, Dr. Brannon Traxler, ASTHO member and Deputy Director of Health Promotion and Services & Chief Medical Officer, South Carolina Department of Public Health, shares the latest update on the state’s response, with nearly 1,000 confirmed cases since October 2025. She explains why vaccination remains the cornerstone of outbreak control, how rapid case identification and contact tracing are helping to slow transmission, and what health officials are learning about spread within large, close-knit households. Then, Heather Tomlinson, Senior Analyst of Environmental Health at the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, breaks down the growing presence of kratom in U.S. markets. She explains its traditional use in Southeast Asia, how modern products differ from natural leaf preparations, and why highly concentrated or synthetic compounds are raising new health concerns. With federal guidance still evolving, states are developing a patchwork of policies—offering lessons for how public health can respond to emerging psychoactive substances. youtube.com/watch?v=cNt_Wgu8LqE Kratom 101: What You Need to Know | ASTHO ASTHO (@ASTHO) on X Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (@asthonews.bsky.social) Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (@asthonews) • Instagram profile https://www.linkedin.com/company/association-of-state-and-territorial-health-officials/ ASTHO (Association of State and Territorial Health Officials)

Public health is everywhere, but too often, people don’t see it. In this episode, we explore how the field can build a stronger future by investing in the next generation of professionals and improving how it communicates its value to the public. Dr. Kimberly Wyche Etheridge, Senior Vice President of Health Initiatives at ASTHO discusses why workforce pathway programs, mentorship, and hands-on partnerships between universities and health departments are critical as experienced leaders retire and workforce gaps grow. She shares why more students are choosing public health, how practical experience helps bridge the gap between theory and real-world practice, and why retaining early-career professionals requires rethinking workplace culture. From creative funding strategies to proactive pipeline development, she makes the case that investing in people today is essential for protecting community health tomorrow. Then, Brian Castrucci, President and CEO of the de Beaumont Foundation explains why, in a recent article, he argued public health must do a better job communicating its impact. He explores how partnerships across sectors, from business and education to faith communities, can strengthen support, and why consistency, speed, and alignment in messaging are more important than ever. We also discuss how digital creators and influencers are reshaping trust, why public health should meet audiences where they already are, and what it will take to build a clear, unified value proposition for the field. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice Subscribe | ASTHO

How can public health detect invisible threats before they become crises? In this episode, we explore two powerful approaches shaping the future of preparedness: wastewater surveillance and radiological emergency response. First, Allison Wheeler, Manager, Wastewater Surveillance Unit Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment shares how her team detected measles in wastewater before clinical cases appeared, helping local partners identify an outbreak early and act quickly. She explains how wastewater surveillance is evolving beyond COVID-19 to monitor emerging and re-emerging diseases, track antimicrobial resistance, and strengthen early warning systems across communities. Then, Dr. Ziad Kazzi, Professor of Emergency Medicine at Emory University and President of the American College of Medical Toxicology breaks down what a radiological incident really looks like, from accidental exposures to nuclear incidents, and why these events may be more manageable than many people assume. He discusses how mass gatherings, like global sporting events, prepare for rare but high-impact scenarios, the importance of detection and decontamination, and how health systems and emergency responders work together to protect both patients and communities. Subscribe | ASTHO Meeting Home Page Meeting Home Page

What happens when health coverage becomes unaffordable, and who’s stepping up to lead in moments like this? This episode connects two powerful public health stories. First, we break down the ACA enhanced premium tax credits: what they were, who they helped, and what’s at stake now that they’ve expired. Catherine Jones, Senior Analyst Government Affairs at ASTHO will explain how these pandemic-era subsidies dramatically expanded access to marketplace coverage, helping middle-income families, older adults not yet eligible for Medicare, rural residents, gig workers, and others without employer-based insurance. With premiums now rising sharply, millions may lose coverage, leading to delayed care, skipped medications, more emergency room use, rising uncompensated care costs, and even potential hospital closures, especially in rural communities. We explore how insurance coverage isn’t just a healthcare issue, but a population health issue tied to chronic disease management, maternal health, mental health services, vaccinations, and overall mortality. Then, we shift to leadership. James Bell III, Chief of Staff/Director of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and a Doctor of Social Work, reflects on his experience in the DELPH Leadership Program and how it reshaped how he shows up as a public health leader. From finding his voice in high-stakes rooms to practicing servant leadership, advocating for equity, and building authentic national networks, Bell describes how leadership development strengthens not just individuals, but the systems and communities they serve. ACA Enhanced Premium Tax Credits: Legislative Developments in 2025 and 2026 | ASTHO Developing Executive Leaders in Public Health | ASTHO Reducing Hypertension Through Self-Measured Blood Pressure Monitoring Programs | ASTHO Addressing Hypertension During Pregnancy Improves Maternal and Infant Health | ASTHO

Major federal investments and national guidance can shape the future of public health, but only if states can turn policy into practice. This episode looks at two sweeping developments and the on-the-groundwork required to make them matter. First, Chris Salyers, Director of Programs and Evaluation at the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health explains the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), a $50 billion, five-year investment aimed at strengthening rural communities. With no clear blueprint for moving funds at this scale, states are in the early stages of building advisory groups, navigating procurement and contracting rules, and working to ensure dollars actually reach rural providers and organizations, not just large outside entities. Salyers highlights the importance of stakeholder engagement, peer learning, and using this planning window to build systems that allow smaller, capacity-strapped rural groups to compete for funding. Then, Shannon Vance, Director, Family and Child Health at ASTHO, breaks down the newly released 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and their wide-ranging implications. With chronic disease driving nearly 90% of U.S. healthcare spending, the updated guidance, including stronger limits on added sugars, greater emphasis on protein and full-fat dairy, and life-stage–specific recommendations, could reshape everything from individual eating habits to major federal nutrition programs. Vance explores the ripple effects for SNAP, WIC, and school meals, where agencies are already juggling recent rule changes, tight budgets, and supply challenges. Leadership Power Hour: Your Launchpad for Impact | ASTHO The 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines: Understanding the New Pyramid | ASTHO Funding & Collaboration Opportunities | ASTHO ASTHO (@ASTHO) / X Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (@asthonews.bsky.social) — Bluesky(1) Instagram(1) LinkedIn Facebook

What do infection prevention in dialysis clinics and hurricane response in the Caribbean have in common? More than you might think. This episode explores how culture, leadership, and coordination shape health outcomes, whether in a treatment chair or a disaster zone. First, Shalini Nair, a Senior Analyst of Infection Disease at ASTHO, breaks down the growing concern around dialysis-related infections and what the CDC’s Making Dialysis Safer for Patients Coalition is doing to address it. She shares frontline-informed strategies that health departments and facilities can use right now: building a “see it, say it” culture of safety, using short, role-specific training and real-time coaching, and ensuring visible leadership support that reinforces infection prevention as everyone’s responsibility. Then, the focus shifts to disaster response with Maggie Nilz, Senior Analyst of preparedness at ASTHO and Team Rubicon, a veteran-led humanitarian organization. Nilz reflects on her decade of deployments, from chainsaw operations in U.S. disaster zones to coordinating international health response in Jamaica after a devastating hurricane. She explains how public health leadership, interagency coordination, and pre-disaster data systems are critical when hospitals are damaged, infrastructure is down, and communities still need everyday healthcare. Key Insights to Improve Infection Prevention in Dialysis Settings | ASTHO Meeting Home Page Leading Humanitarian Aid Organization in the US | Team Rubicon Leadership Power Hour: Your Launchpad for Impact | ASTHO Meeting Home Page

What does public health modernization look like when you’re serving four islands, a geographically isolated population, and a community still shaped by the aftermath of major hurricanes? In this episode, Esther Ellis, Territorial Epidemiologist for the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Health shares how PHIG (Public Health Infrastructure Grant) funding is transforming the territory’s health data systems, and why that matters far beyond technology. From launching a cloud-based immunization information system that replaced records lost after Hurricanes Irma and Maria, to implementing an electronic case reporting portal for notifiable diseases, the Virgin Islands is building a more connected, real-time public health infrastructure. Ellis explains how these systems improve vaccine tracking, outbreak response, provider reporting, and access to care, especially in a region where travel between islands requires flights or ferries and 25% of residents are uninsured.

Behind every public health response are two make-or-break factors: the people doing the work and the systems that help them work together. First, Shirley Orr, Executive Director of the Association of Public Health Nurses discusses the Public Health Nursing Workforce Learning Lab Series Session 5 with insights from PHWINS, the nation’s only survey of the state and local public health workforce, which reached nearly 50,000 professionals. The data paints a detailed picture of who makes up today’s workforce, including an influx of younger staff, persistent leadership diversity gaps, and ongoing concerns about burnout and morale. Later, Dr. Lisa Villarroel, Chief Medical Officer for Public Health of the Arizona Department of Health Services shows us what happens when that workforce is connected in real time. Arizona’s Statewide Healthcare Collaborative Forum, a simple monthly virtual call during respiratory season, brings EMS, hospitals, post-acute care, and public health leaders together to review virus trends, hospital capacity, ED diversion, and emerging challenges. Born from pandemic lessons, the forum has led to tangible results: resolving EMS transport delays, sparking regional hospital alliances, rethinking masking policies, and aligning state data with frontline reality. Meeting Home Page Meeting Home Page

What do school meals, housing, paid leave, and pre-K have to do with public health? According to Trust for America’s Health: everything. In this episode, Breanca Merritt, Director of Policy at Trust for America’s Health, breaks down a new report titled Promoting Health and Cost Control in States (PHACS), which tracks how states are adopting 13 evidence-based policies that improve health, reduce long-term costs, and deliver a return on investment, many of them outside traditional healthcare. But this isn’t happening in easy conditions. With federal funding shifts, post–public health emergency rollbacks, workforce strain, and growing political pressure, states are being asked to do more with less. The report serves as both a reality check and a playbook, highlighting strategies that are working across very different political and fiscal environments. The takeaway: even in a tough moment, there are practical, evidence-based ways to move policies that improve health and strengthen communities, if sectors work together. ASTHO (@ASTHO) / X Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (@asthonews.bsky.social) — Bluesky Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (@asthonews) • Instagram photos and videos LinkedIn (1) Facebook Leadership Power Hour: Your Launchpad for Impact | ASTHO

If the United States brought home a report card on maternal and infant health, it would need a serious parent–teacher conference. In this episode, Dr. Michael Warren, Chief Medical and Health Officer at March of Dimes breaks down the latest Report Card on birth outcomes and the headline is hard to ignore: the nation earns a D+ for preterm birth, with half of states receiving a D or F. But this isn’t just about grades. It’s about what’s driving poor outcomes and what public health leaders can actually do about it. Warren, a former state and federal public health leader, also shares how officials can use the report card as more than a headline, but as a tool to build urgency, strengthen partnerships across maternal health, chronic disease, and Medicaid, and push forward policy and funding priorities. Long COVID Resources for Community Recovery | ASTHO Funding & Collaboration Opportunities | ASTHO

New technologies, from telehealth to wearables to AI, are transforming how health data is created, shared, and used. But for public health agencies, keeping pace isn’t just about adopting the latest tools, it’s about building systems that are flexible, trustworthy, and sustainable. In this episode, John Stinn, Deloitte Consulting Managing Director in Government and Public Services Digital Health Practices, joins us to unpack how public health agencies can navigate a rapidly evolving data landscape. He shares why starting with the problem you’re trying to solve, not the technology, is essential, how thoughtful data governance and workflow design can reduce risk and control costs, and why open-source platforms and shared solutions can help agencies avoid reinventing the wheel.