Public Health Review Morning Edition

Public health is at a crossroads. In this episode, Lillian Shirley and Itta Johnson from Public Consulting Group discuss how adaptive leadership can help rebuild trust, strengthen community partnerships, and drive meaningful change across systems. Drawing from real-world initiatives they share practical insights on leading with empathy, collaboration, and purpose in today’s complex public health landscape.

Dr. Susan Kansagra, MD, MBA, Chief Medical Officer at ASTHO, shares an update on rising RSV activity and how states are tracking trends during the federal shutdown. She highlights new tools that protect infants, including maternal vaccines and monoclonal antibodies, and explains how public health and birthing hospitals are partnering to expand access through the Vaccines for Children program. Early results show increased hospital enrollment and fewer RSV related hospitalizations among infants.https://www.astho.org/topic/report/aligning-strategic-plans-across-health-aging-dementia/

On today’s Best Of PHRME episode, ASTHO revisits an interview with Dr. Jennifer Layden, MD, PhD, Senior Vice President for Population Health and Innovation, who discusses how states are advancing data modernization and building creative partnerships to strengthen public health. The episode also highlights new research from the University of Michigan and Apple examining how noise pollution impacts hearing and cardiovascular health, along with a look at Colorado’s resilience framework that supports statewide preparedness and response.

In today's installment of the PHIG Impact Report, Jade Ramsdell, performance improvement director with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), shares how KDHE is using the Public Health Infrastructure Grant (PHIG) to strengthen foundational public health capabilities across the state. This includes investing in its public health workforce and data modernization. This work is supported by funds made available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), National Center for STLT Public Health Infrastructure and Workforce, through OE22-2203: Strengthening U.S. Public Health Infrastructure, Workforce, and Data Systems grant. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government. PHIG Partners Web Page

On today's 'Best Of PHRME' episode, ASTHO revisits an interview with Dan Edney, ASTHO member and state health officer with the Mississippi Department of Health, who explains what the state is doing to meet the public health needs of rural communities across the state. This episode also features a segment with Shirley Orr, executive director of the Association of Public Health Nurses and lead speaker for ASTHO's Public Health Nursing Workforce Learning Lab series, who discusses what motivates nurses to enter the public health field. The fifth and final webinar in the series is scheduled for Nov. 19 at 3 p.m. ET. ASTHO Public Health Nursing Workforce Learning Lab Sustaining Accreditation Through Smart Documentation Systems

Jim Daniel, Public Health Leader for State and Local Government at Amazon Web Services, examines AI usage in public health. HIMSS Web Page: Innovative Approaches to Public Health: Generative AI as a Transformative Tool AWS Web Page: Transforming electronic case reports with generative AI: Unlocking faster public health responses AWS Web Page: Scalable intelligent document processing using Amazon Bedrock ASTHO Web Page: Innovation Advisory Council

Lisa Bari, Vice President of Policy and Partnerships at Innovaccer, shares how public health departments can become better prepared to use AI by addressing their underlying data infrastructure; Angela Davis, Project Coordinator with the Montana Office of Rural Health and Area Health Education Center at Montana State University, explains how they developed a statewide AmeriCorps program grounded in health to address the population health needs of the highly rural state; a new ASTHO State Health Policy Update describes the legislative changes taking place across the country as a result of recent changes to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP); and on Wednesday, November 19th, ASTHO will close out its Public Health Nursing Learning Lab Series with a session on Public Health Nursing Workforce Culture. Innovaccer: How State and Local Public Health Leaders can Promote AI and Data Governance Montana State University: Montana State helping launch statewide AmeriCorps program for community health ASTHO Health Policy Update: States Seek Policy Guidance Beyond ACIP Vaccine Recommendations ASTHO Webinar: Public Health Nursing Workforce Learning Lab - A Series

Jeffrey Eason, Director of the Office of Communicable Diseases at the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, explains how his department is working to prevent transmission of measles during the state's largest outbreak in 30 years; Dr. C. William Keck, former Director of the Akron City Health Department and professor emeritus of community health sciences and family medicine at the Northeast Ohio Medical University, shares how academic health department partnerships can benefit jurisdictions across the country; tomorrow, October 30th at 4:00 p.m. ET ASTHO will host an Insight and Inspiration webinar on finding the clarity to lead with intent; and November 12th at 2:00 p.m. ET is the final webinar in ASTHO and PHF's joint webinar series on academic health department partnerships, providing participants with the opportunity to ask any questions they may have. Utah DHHS: 2025 Measles Response PHF Web Page: Academic Health Departments: Core Concepts ASTHO Webinar: Insight & Inspiration: Finding the Clarity to Lead with Intent ASTHO Webinar: Ask Me Anything: Academic Health Department Partnerships

Dr. Novneet Sahoo, Deputy Commissioner for Public Health at the New Jersey Department of Health, discusses his state's multi-pronged strategy to improve vaccine access and address vaccine confidence in response to a national rise in pediatric flu deaths; Thaddeus Pham, Viral Hepatitis Prevention Coordinator at the Hawaii Department of Health, explains what the state has accomplished through HEP FREE 2030, Hawaii's initiative to eliminate Hepatitis B and C by the year 2030; on Wednesday, October 29th at 3:00 p.m. ET, ASTHO will host part one of a two-part webinar series on the accomplishments of various jurisdictions in their preparedness and response tactics during extreme weather events; and a new ASTHO report can help jurisdictions reduce overdose-related harms and support the communities affected by it. NJ.com: Pediatric flu deaths reach 15-year high. Get your shot now, officials urge. HEP FREE 2030: The Hawai'i Hepatitis Elimination Strategy 2020-2030 ASTHO Webinar: Weathering the Storm: The Importance of Environmental Health Preparedness and Response Part I ASTHO Report: Overdose Data to Action: Utilizing Partnerships and Flexibility to Support Policy Change

Michelle Hale, Preparedness Program Director with the Office of Preparedness and Response at the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, shares what her state learned about responding to critical public health challenges amid a surge of wildfires in the state; Catherine Murphy, Senior Analyst of Government Affairs at ASTHO, discusses the federal health policy update she authored on notable legislative priorities for the end of the year; ASTHO's PH-HERO Workforce Resource Center provides resources to address moral injury, burnout, resilience, and retention for public health agency leaders and team members; and ASTHO's Legislative Alerts will ensure you don't miss any legislative or policy movements that affect public health. ASTHO Web Page: Public Health Preparedness ASTHO Health Policy Update: Health Legislative Priorities for the Remainder of 2025 ASTHO Web Page: PH-HERO Workforce Resource Center ASTHO Web Page: Legislative Alerts