Public Health Review Morning Edition

Deborah Stone, Behavioral Scientist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, explains that after two consecutive years of declines, U.S. suicide rates increased in 2021, nearly returning to their 2018 peak; Hannah Wesolowski, Chief Advocacy Officer with the National Alliance on Mental Illness, outlines the unique opportunity to invest in mental health; and the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy will discuss its goals for improving maternal health outcomes on March 27th. CDC Webpage: Suicide Prevention CDC Webpage: Notes from the Field: Recent Changes in Suicide Rates, by Race and Ethnicity and Age Group — United States, 2021 National Alliance on Mental Illness Webpage The Wall Street Journal News Article: More Money for Mental-Health Programs Gets Bipartisan Support in Many States The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy Event Registration ASTHO Webpage: Be in the Know

Alyssa Boyea, ASTHO Director for Infectious Disease Preparedness, highlights resources to help public health agencies improve their COVID-19 communication and messaging approaches; Dr. Anne Zink, ASTHO President and Chief Medical Officer for the State of Alaska, discusses issues related to the end of the public health emergency on May 11th; an ASTHO blog addresses breastfeeding resources for women who are incarcerated; Dr. Umair Shah, Secretary of Health for Washington State, is part of a national panel discussion about new solutions to improve bio-surveillance and data modernization in response to biothreats; and ASTHO's Health Equity Summit is scheduled for April 25th and 26th. Health Affairs News Article: Trust In US Federal, State, And Local Public Health Agencies During COVID-19: Responses And Policy Implications ASTHO Webpage: COVID-19 Public Health Communications Resource Hub ASTHO Brief: Increasing Access to Breastfeeding Resources for Mothers Who Are Incarcerated ASTHO Webpage: Health Equity Summit – A Movement for Justice

Heather Tomlinson, ASTHO Senior Analyst for Immunizations, reminds us in an ASTHO blog article that there are strategies to reduce the impact of non-medical immunization exemptions; the CDC has added COVID-19 vaccinations to its immunization schedule in its latest update; and Gaafar Uherbelau, Minister of Health for the Palau Ministry of Health and Human Services, provides the latest updates on talks between Congress and the U.S. island areas looking to improve funding for health care in their jurisdictions. ASTHO Blog Article: The Impact of Non-Medical Vaccine Exemptions on Childhood Vaccination Rates The Hill News Article: CDC adds COVID vaccine to routine immunization schedule for kids, adults ASTHO News Release: Island Health Officials Advocate to Strengthen Healthcare Infrastructure During ASTHO's Spring Leadership Meeting

Gregory Sunshine, Public Health Analyst with the Centers for Disease Control, explains how state and territorial emergency powers have shifted during the COVID-19 pandemic; and Carolyn Mullen, ASTHO Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Relations, tells us what Congress wants to know in her latest "View from Washington D.C." report. ASTHO Blog Article: New Study Published in Journal of Emergency Management Highlights Shifts in State and Territorial Emergency Powers Since the COVID-19 Pandemic Preparedness Summit Webpage: What Is the Future of Legal Preparedness? Legislative and Judicial Trends During COVID-19 and How Changes in the Law May Impact Emergency Response Capabilities ASTHO Webpage: Be in the Know

Dr. Brian Castrucci, CEO and President of the de Beaumont Foundation, talks about data that shows public health is on track to lose 130,000 people by 2025; an ASTHO blog article discusses how colonialism, military presence, and political influence all have had an impact on disparities in the eight territories and freely associated states; and Dr. Mark Levine, Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Health, offers his opinion on how state and territorial health officials should be prominent spokespersons for health equity as well as other topics in ASTHO's Leadership Trailblazer series. Health Affairs News Article: The Exodus Of State And Local Public Health Employees: Separations Started Before And Continued Throughout COVID-19 ASTHO Blog Article: Overcoming Baked-In Inequities and Promoting Health Equity in the Island Areas ASTHO Blog Article: Leadership Trailblazer Spotlight: Mark Levine, MD, Commissioner, Vermont Department of Health

Dr. Scott Harris, State Health Officer for Alabama Public Health, addresses the startling statistic that there have been more deaths in Alabama than births for two straight years; Nada Hassanein, Health Inequities Reporter for USA Today, writes about the nation's congenital syphilis trend and calls attention to the lack of care for pregnant people and their newborns; ASTHO has a webinar at the end of the month to help attendees learn how to leverage the community perinatal workforce as a strategy to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality; and ASTHO has several job opportunities you can apply for. Alabama.com News Article: Alabama had more deaths than births in 2022 as effects of COVID linger on USA Today News Article: 'Time to sound the alarm': Surge in babies born with syphilis draws attention to lack of care ASTHO Webpage: Leveraging the Community Perinatal Workforce to Reduce Maternal Morbidity and Mortality ASTHO Webpage: Careers at ASTHO

Dr. Brian Castrucci, President and CEO of the de Beaumont Foundation, says workforce data indicates public health agencies could lose nearly 130,000 employees by 2025; J.T. Lane, ASTHO's Senior Vice President for Population Health and Innovation, says agencies can learn about the latest technology innovations at ASTHO's Public Health TechXpo; and an ASTHO blog article discusses how the organization partnered with the Ohio Department of Health to include people living with disabilities in preparedness planning. Health Affairs News Article: The Exodus Of State And Local Public Health Employees: Separations Started Before And Continued Throughout COVID-19 deBeaumont Webpage: Public Health Turnover Threatens Community Health and Safety ASTHO Webpage: Public Health TechXpo and Futures Forum ASTHO Blog Article: Ohio Includes Stakeholders of All Abilities in Public Health Planning ASTHO Webpage: Be in the Know

Alec Tyson, Associate Director of Research at Pew Research Center, explains the results of a recent poll that confirms the challenges public health agencies had communicating pandemic decisions; Emily Dore, Director of Policy and Advocacy at Klick Health, hopes attendees will leave an ASTHO webinar with ideas to help them better reach Gen Z audiences; and Devon Page, ASTHO Government Affairs Analyst, says the House is moving ahead with plans to understand how the federal government and the states have managed their COVID-19 money. Pew Research Center Webpage: Lack of Preparedness Among Top Reactions Americans Have to Public Health Officials' COVID-19 Response ASTHO Webpage: Cultivating Gen Z as Partners for Healthier Communities – Part 2 ASTHO Blog Article: Cultivating Gen Z as Partners for Healthier Communities ASTHO Blog Article: Hearing the Hill ASTHO Webpage: Newsroom

Carolyn Mullen, ASTHO Senior Vice President for Government Affairs and Public Relations, works through the numbers of President Biden's proposed budget to evaluate the impact on public health funding and programs in this week's 'View from Washington D.C.' report; and leaders from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services explain the goal behind the agency's interactive online COVID-19 funding dashboard. Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Webpage: COVID-19 Funding Dashboard ASTHO Webpage: Be in the Know

Dr. Thomas Dobbs, former State Health Officer for the Mississippi State Department of Health and now dean of the John D. Bower School of Population Health at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, urges agencies that fund local public health programs to eliminate the barriers that can get in the way of lifesaving work; Dr. Kimberlee Wyche-Etheridge, ASTHO Senior Vice President of Health Equity and Diversity Initiatives, says justice and health equity are the focus of ASTHO's 2023 Health Equity Summit planned for April; and an ASTHO blog article examines what it takes to lead at this moment in public health. Health Affairs News Article: Getting Government To Work For Public Health ASTHO Webpage: Health Equity Summit - A Movement for Justice ASTHO Blog Article: Exploring the Effect of Public Health Crises on Health Equity Leadership