Public Health Review Morning Edition

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

Elke Shaw-Tulloch, Public Health Administrator for the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, says ASTHO's revised policy statement on climate and health recommends more funding for state and territorial climate programs; Dr. Lyle Petersen, Director of the Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, within the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), says relationships with providers can help agencies stay ahead of Dengue and other viral outbreaks; Brenna Davidson, Operational Excellence Leader at the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, encourages colleagues to take part in Public Health Improvement Training; and Florida will use ASTHO's SPACECAT tool to evaluate its work on adverse childhood experiences as part of a plan to improve health and safety for people across the state. ASTHO News Release: ASTHO Releases Five Health Policy Statements CDC Webpage: What is Dengue? CDC Webpage: Dengue for Healthcare Providers NNPHI Website: Public Health Improvement Training (PHIT) ASTHO Story: Closing the Distance in Florida

Dr. Kimberlee Wyche-Etheridge, ASTHO's Senior Vice President of Health Equity and Diversity Initiatives, outlines the organization's updated policy statement on structural racism in public health; Dr. Brian Castrucci, President and CEO of the de Beaumont Foundation, says a book he edited with Michael Fraser, ASTHO's CEO, codifies a new way of thinking about work in public health; J.J. Jones, Executive Director of the National Institute for Animal Agriculture, says the threat of zoonotic disease outbreaks argues for widespread adoption of the One Health approach to public health; and a new ASTHO blog article explains how to address housing and food insecurity by braiding and layering available funding sources. ASTHO News Release: ASTHO Releases Five Health Policy Statements ASTHO Webpage: Building Strategic Skills for Better Health ASTHO Public Health Review Podcast: One Health – The Shared Future of People, Animals, and the Planet ASTHO Blog Article: Braiding and Layering Funding to Address Housing and Food Insecurity

Jessica Fepelstein, ASTHO Analyst for State and Community Engagement, explains the health equity core concepts work that is happening as part of the STRETCH Initiative; Dr. Esther Muna, Chief Executive Officer and Territorial Health Official for the Northern Mariana Islands, discusses the ASTHO policy statement calling for Medicaid funding parity for the U.S. territories; Daphne Delgado, Program Director with the Center for Brain Health Equity at UsAgainstAlzheimer's, says the organization has resources for doing work in black and Latino communities; and an ASTHO webinar will help you learn new strategies to improve access to emergency contraception during. ASTHO Blog Article: Centering the Community's Voice in State-Led Health Equity Initiatives ASTHO News Release: ASTHO Releases Five Health Policy Statements UsAgainstAlzheimer's Webpage: Our Data Insights UsAgainstAlzheimer's Webpage: Let's Talk Alz this National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month UsAgainstAlzheimer's Webpage: Culturally Tailored Communications Resources ASTHO Webinar: Provider Strategies to Improve Access to Emergency Contraception