Public Health Review Morning Edition

Dr. Tara Kirk Sell, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and an associate professor in the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, offers straightforward advice on managing online misinformation; Locola Hayes, the Deputy Director for Strategy and Implementation in CDC's Office of Science, explains how science can help advance health equity; ASTHO CEO Dr. Joseph Kanter encourages public health to understand the challenges marginalized communities face towards reaching the goal of optimal health; and an ASTHO webinar covers how Medicaid enrolled tobacco users in Washington state access health care. Practical Playbook for Addressing Health Misinformation Journal of Public Health Management and Practice: Leveraging Science to Advance Health Equity Biden-Harris Administration Highlights Key LGBTQI+ Progress at HHS ASTHO Webpage: Lessons with the State of Washington on Medicaid Data and Tobacco Use

ASTHO CEO Dr. Joseph Kanter and Executive Director of the National Association of Medicaid Directors, Kate McEvoy, have sent a letter to Congress to lift the Medicaid funding cap on all U.S. territories and approve a permanent 83 percent federal contribution to Medicaid costs in Puerto Rico; an ASTHO blog article discusses proposed legislation and the benefits of telehealth in rural areas; Heather Tomlinson, ASTHO Senior Analyst for Immunizations, explains ASTHO tools to help adopt the FDA Food Code; Maria Sarabia, Assistant Commissioner for the Health Improvement Bureau at the Minnesota Department of Health, shares a new assessment to help health department update health improvement plans; and the CDC has issued a health advisory on Diamond Shruumz- Brand Chocolate Bars, Cones, and Gummies.

Dr. Joseph Kanter, ASTHO CEO, discusses a letter to Congress that asks lawmakers to lift the Medicaid funding cap on all U.S. territories; Gordon Thane, CEO and Principal Consultant for Public Health Insight, says gaps in public health knowledge can keep important information from reaching those who need it most; communication is the topic of an ASTHO webinar happening on Monday June 24th; and an ASTHO blog article from Dr. James Bell III, Chief of Staff at the Michigan Health Department and a DELPH graduate, explains how Michigan is working to address health disparities. ASTHO News Release: ASTHO and NAMD Call on Congress to Fully Fund Medicaid and CHIP in U.S. Territories Public Health Insight Podcast Episode: Leadership in Public Health and Medicine ASTHO Webinar: Combatting the Rise of Syphilis Through State Communication Campaigns ASTHO Blog Article: Roots of Equity – Addressing Health Disparities and Advancing Inclusive Solutions in Michigan ASTHO Webinar: Performance Management Techniques for Successful Decision Making

Suleima Salgado, an ASTHO Telehealth Consultant, shares details of a new needs assessment focused on telehealth; Dr. Fredrick Echols, CEO and Founder of Population Health and Social Justice Consulting LLC and a DELPH Graduate, tells us how DELPH graduates use their newly acquired skills to impact work in agencies across the states and territories; and an ASTHO resource provides ideas to build additional capacity to address adverse childhood experiences. ASTHO Webpage: 2024 Telehealth Needs Assessment ASTHO Webpage: Diverse Executives Leading in Public Health ASTHO Blog Article: DELPH Reflections – A Journey Towards Creating a More Equitable and Just Democracy ASTHO Webpage: Leadership Development ASTHO Webpage: Actions to Build Capacity for ACEs Prevention

Megan Drake-Pereyra, ASTHO Advisor for Public Health Infrastructure, says island area agencies are looking to update plans and processes following the pandemic; Arthur U. San Agustin, Special Assistant to the Office of the Governor, tells us Leaders in Guam have spent a lot of time working to improve the way they manage small purchase procurement; the CDC has issued a health advisory regarding a federal health care fraud indictment against a telehealth company that provides ADHD treatment; and the ASTHO Leadership Institute is building a new cohort of senior public health leaders interested in strategic professional development. ASTHO Blog Article: How Two Island Health Departments Are Preparing for Successful Public Health Planning ASTHO Public Health Review Podcast: Using Business Process Improvement to Address Procurement Challenges in Guam CDC Webpage: Disrupted Access to Prescription Stimulant Medications Could Increase Risk of Injury and Overdose ASTHO Webpage: ASTHO Leadership Institute

Ashley Hebert, Senior Program Manager for Community and Government Relations with the Center for Black Health and Equity, says despite challenges organizations must continue their work to protect communities of color from tobacco industry campaigns; Ashley Ottewell, ASTHO Director of Public Health Data Modernization and Informatics at ASTHO, discusses a JPHMP article written about health equity science; and Kristin Sullivan, ASTHO Director of Public Health Systems Improvement and Infrastructure, discusses a project to help leaders in the U.S. Virgin Islands improve their business processes. ASTHO Brief: Engaging Communities Is a Critical Tobacco Control Strategy Journal of Public Health Management and Practice Article: Leveraging Science to Advance Health Equity ASTHO STAR Center ASTHO Webpage: Stay Informed

Dr. Liz Wood, Scholarly Assistant Professor at the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine at Washington State University, discusses her grant-winning research on disability data; Julia Von Alexander, ASTHO Senior Analyst for Island Support, says leaders with the Federated States of Micronesia are working to improve healthcare access for remote island populations; Veronica Halloway, Executive Director for the National Association of State Offices of Minority Health, reflects on National Minority Health Month; and Trust for America's Health has announced that ASTHO has earned an Age-Friendly Public Health Systems Recognition. Association of University Centers on Disabilities News Release: Announcement of AUCD-ASTHO Grant Awardees ASTHO Blog Article: Improving Access to Healthcare in the Pacific: Q&A with Patrick Abraham Trust for America's Health News Release: The Association for State and Territorial Health Officials Achieves Age-Friendly Public Health Systems Recognition

Sarah Auer discusses the Applied Epidemiology Competencies toolkit, Lillie Seels on vaccine equity toolkit development, Jon Junior Calvo talks about ASTHO's business process improvement approach. Topics include advancing vaccine equity, state communication campaigns, and addressing the syphilis epidemic.

Dr. Michelle Fiscus, Chief Medical Officer at the Association of Immunization Managers, discusses numbers released in March that show the RSV immunization for infants is 90 percent effective; Dr. Tom Frieden, President and Chief Executive Officer of Resolve to Save Lives, says public health needs to take three steps to rebuild trust in communities; Darrah Dunlap, Food Protection Program Manager at the Illinois Department of Public Health, tells us about a cottage food guide to help people in business and local health departments in Illinois; and Puerto Rico has an online dashboard to identify and address health equity concerns in their jurisdiction. CDC Webpage: CDC study shows effectiveness of RSV immunization for infants STAT Opinion Article: To rebuild trust in public health: Better communication, fewer mandates, and small wins ASTHO Webpage: Developing a Data Dashboard to Address Health Equity Concerns: Insights from Puerto Rico

Dr. Tom Frieden, President and Chief Executive Officer of Resolve to Save Lives, shares three steps he says are needed to rebuild trust in public health; Melissa Magstadt, Secretary of Health for the South Dakota Department of Health and an ASTHO Member, discusses how their states' mobile clinics aim to bring health services to where people are; and a new ASTHO report outlines suicide prevention resources for agencies. STAT News Opinion Article: To rebuild trust in public health – Better communication, fewer mandates, and small wins South Dakota Department of Health News Release: South Dakota Department of Health Unveils Wellness on Wheels Mobile Clinics to Improve Healthcare Access to Underserved Communities ASTHO Webpage: Data Sources and Strategies for Suicide Prevention Among Disproportionately Affected Populations ASTHO Webpage: Stay Informed