Podcasts about naccho

Washington, DC, May 16, 2025 — On this month's podcast episode, the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) speakers discuss the "skinny” version of the President's Budget Request to Congress for FY26, which provides limited details on the Administrations priorities, and the Congressional hearings that followed its release. They also report out on multiple Congressional hearings over the past month related to biomedical research and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reorganization. For more frequent updates, subscribe to NACCHO's News from Washington weekly newsletter: www.naccho.org/advocacy/news.   Later in the program (8:39), NACCHO's Molly Curington, Government Affairs Associate, and Angie McPherson, Senior Website Specialist, discuss the new NACCHO Resource Hub. The platform offers local health departments an easy way to identify tools and resources they can use to strengthen their work. The Hub also provides an opportunity for local health departments to share updates on their programs and initiatives to foster new partnerships.   To learn more about the NACCHO Resource Hub, visit: www.naccho.org/resource-hub.   ###   About NACCHO The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the over 3,300 local governmental health departments across the country. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information, visit www.naccho.org.

Washington, DC, April 25, 2025 — On this month's podcast episode, the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) speakers discuss the recent reorganization of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), including significant layoffs of staff working on public health programs, as well as the recently leaked funding “passback” document and what this means for public health. They also share an update on a lawsuit filed by some states against HHS on the clawback of billions of dollars of COVID-era supplemental funding. For more frequent updates, subscribe to NACCHO's News from Washington weekly newsletter: www.naccho.org/advocacy/news.   Later in the program (7:15), Philip “Phil” Huang, MD, MPH, Director and Health Authority at Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS), and Miranda Grant, a DCHHS Program Manager for the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative, join NACCHO to discuss DCHHS' efforts to prevent, detect, treat, and respond to HIV in Dallas County and the critical role local public health plays in improving health outcomes.    During the episode, they share the current state of the epidemic in Dallas County, the disproportionate impact on Black and Hispanic communities, the importance of community partnerships in reaching more diverse populations, the promising outlook for a reduction in new cases by 2030, and how fostering community engagement and data-driven planning will help address the epidemic. They highlight their trauma-informed learning collaborative, a county-wide initiative to help reduce workforce burnout and address stigma surrounding HIV. Dallas County has also seen a significant increase in PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) usage with up to 8,000 residents on PrEP in 2023 versus 300 people in 2014. However, without sustainable investments in HIV prevention, Dallas County faces a growing crisis in its communities and an economic strain – each HIV case prevented saves an estimated $420,000 in lifetime costs. Sign up for NACCHO's HIV, STI, Viral Hepatitis, and Harm Reduction Digest.

Dr. Susan Kansagra, ASTHO Chief Medical Officer, offers an update on funding after a flurry of activity; Martha Hagen, Consultant Nutritionist with the Association of State Public Health Nutritionists, explains the cultural focus of new transition feeding briefs; and ASTHO and NACCHO will host a virtual learning session on Thursday, April 3rd about partnering with community coalitions. ASPHN Web Page: The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans – Focus on Infant, Toddler, and Transition Feeding ASTHO Webinar: State and Local Partnerships to Promote Community Health  

NACCHO's Podcast from Washington: How Lubbock Public Health is Responding to the Measles Outbreak in Texas   Washington, DC, March 21, 2025 — On this month's podcast episode, the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) discuss last week's Continuing Resolution that provides funds for the federal government through the end of Fiscal Year 2025, updates on the budget reconciliation process—including how it could potentially impact Medicaid—and updates on the confirmation hearings for HHS agency nominees. Subscribe to NACCHO's News from Washington weekly newsletter: www.naccho.org/advocacy/news.   Later in the program (9:15), Katherine Wells, DrPH, Director of Lubbock Public Health in Texas, joins NACCHO to discuss the recent measles outbreak in the United States and initiatives they have implemented to slow the spread in Texas. As of March 20, 2025, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported a total of 378 measles cases in 18 different jurisdictions, surpassing the total number of measles cases in the  United States in 2024. As of March 21, 2025, Texas reported a total of 309 confirmed measles cases, with 40 hospitalizations. For recent updates on the measles outbreak and to view helpful resources, visit: NACCHO's Blog: 2025 Measles Outbreaks.   ###   About NACCHO The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the over 3,300 local governmental health departments across the country. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information, visit www.naccho.org.

Washington, DC, February 14, 2025 — On this month's podcast episode, the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) discusses the current administration's executive actions related to public health, shares updates on Fiscal Year 2025 federal funding and the budget reconciliation process, and provides an update on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s confirmation as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. To get more public health policy updates, subscribe to NACCHO's News from Washington weekly newsletter: www.naccho.org/advocacy/news.    Later in the program (9:06), NACCHO announces the release of the new Profile Study Dashboard. The interactive dashboard offers nationwide data about the country's local health departments' infrastructure and activities. The data presented is collected from NACCHO's national profile study, the largest and most comprehensive data source on local health department funding, staffing, and partnerships. Users can explore key features like data stories and shareable content to enhance communication efforts and promote public health action. ###   About NACCHO The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the over 3,300 local governmental health departments across the country. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information, visit www.naccho.org.

Washington, DC, January 30, 2024 — On this podcast episode, the National Association of County and City Health Officials' (NACCHO) Director of Government Affairs, Victoria Van de Vate, and Government Affairs Senior Specialist, Lauren Soule discuss updates on the 119th Congress and committee leadership, FY25 funding, Senate confirmation hearings, and new Presidential executive orders related to public health activities. To get more public health policy updates and to subscribe to NACCHO's News from Washington weekly newsletter, visit: www.naccho.org/advocacy/news. Contact us at govtaffairs@naccho.org.    Later in the program (8:35), Nicholas Adams, Senior Program Analyst for Environmental Health at NACCHO, concludes the five-part Food Safety series by reviewing the resources and programs shared by previous guests and highlighting NACCHO projects that support local food safety. Nicholas discusses how initiatives like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards, the NEHA-FDA Retail Flexible Funding Model, Retail Program Standards Networks, Oral Learner Train the Trainer Program, and the Council to Improve Foodborne Illness Outbreak Response provide local health departments with the tools to create a safer food system and have a voice in national food safety conversations.  ###   About NACCHO The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the over 3,300 local governmental health departments across the country. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information, visit www.naccho.org.

Washington, DC, December 12, 2024 — On this podcast episode, the National Association of County and City Health Officials' (NACCHO) Director of Government Affairs, Victoria Van de Vate, welcomes Kevin Sumner, Health Officer and Director at Middle-Brook Regional Health Commission in New Jersey to discuss his experience with advocacy on behalf of local public health. He is a former President of NACCHO's Board of Directors and has worked for over 35 years in varying capacities including as an environmental health specialist, health educator, and health officer. He is also a former President of the New Jersey Health Officers Association and created the Public Health Associations Collaborative Effort. To get more public health policy updates and to subscribe to NACCHO's weekly newsletter, visit: www.naccho.org/advocacy.   Later in the program (21:35), Nicholas Adams, Senior Program Analyst for Environmental Health at NACCHO, is joined by Traci Stevens, Environmental Health Specialist at Richmond County Health Department in North Carolina. In this fourth installment of NACCHO's five-part Food Safety podcast series, they discuss how Richmond County Health Department ensures their retail food safety programs are sustainable. The programs were recently awarded the 2024 Samuel J. Crumbine Consumer Protection Award for their excellence in food safety practices at the local level.

Washington, DC, November 21, 2024 — On this podcast episode, the National Association of County and City Health Officials' (NACCHO) Director of Government Affairs, Victoria Van de Vate, and Lauren Soule, Government Affairs Senior Specialist, discuss the results of the 2024 presidential election, share NACCHO's recommendations for the next administration and 119th Congress, and provide an update on the ongoing federal FY25 budget negotiations. To get more updates and to subscribe to NACCHO's weekly newsletter, visit: www.naccho.org/advocacy.   Later in the program (7:23), Nicholas Adams, Senior Program Analyst on NACCHO's Food Safety Team, is joined by Melissa Ham, who served as a senior consultant with Wake County Environmental Services in North Carolina. In this third installment of NACCHO's five-part Food Safety podcast series, they discuss efforts to address foodborne illnesses through retail food programs and how the work from the Retail Program Standards Network in North Carolina, a network of local health departments in partnership with the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has impacted retail food safety work on the local level. Note: Since the time of the interview, Melissa Ham has moved to a new role as Registered Environmental Health Specialist for Hoke County Environmental Health.

Washington, DC, October 17, 2024 — On this podcast episode, the National Association of County and City Health Officials' (NACCHO) Director of Government Affairs, Victoria Van de Vate, and Lauren Soule, Government Affairs Senior Specialist, provide insights into federal funding now that Congress is out of session until after the election. They also discuss a recent Coalition to Stop Flu congressional briefing featuring NACCHO member Dr. Dianna Abney, Health Officer at the Charles County Health Department in Maryland, a 30th anniversary of the Vaccines for Children Program event featuring NACCHO's Board President Dr. Michael Kilkenny, and an open letter from NACCHO CEO Lori Tremmel Freeman to local health departments impacted by the recent hurricanes. For more updates and to subscribe to NACCHO's weekly newsletter, visit: www.naccho.org/advocacy.   Later in the program (5:03), in this second installment of a five-part Food Safety series, Nicholas Adams, Senior Program Analyst on NACCHO's Food Safety Team, is joined by Lane Drager, Consumer Protection Program Coordinator at Boulder County Public Health in Boulder County, Colorado. Boulder County has served for several years as a mentor for NACCHO's Food Safety Mentorship Program under the NEHA-FDA Retail Flexible Funding Model, NACCHO's Food Safety Workgroup, and with the Council to Improve Foodborne Illness Outbreak Response.  In their conversation, Drager discusses Boulder County Environmental Health Division's oral learner train the trainer program that provides essential food safety training to retail food service staff, regardless of their spoken language. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, retail food establishments experienced a significant labor shortage that led to burnout and high turnover. The labor shortage forced establishments to hire staff inexperienced in food handling and in recent years, it has been critical for local health departments to update their education and training programs to teach proper food handling practices and information on food safety to a wider audience. Drager also shared the improvements in Boulder County's food safety management systems that can help inform other local health departments in their food safety work.   ###   About NACCHO The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the over 3,300 local governmental health departments across the country. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information, visit www.naccho.org.

Washington, DC, September 19, 2024 — On this podcast episode, the National Association of County and City Health Officials' (NACCHO) Director of Government Affairs, Victoria Van de Vate, and Lauren Mastroberardino, Government Affairs Senior Specialist, provide an outlook for federal funding this fall, as the deadline approaches. They also discuss the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee hearing titled, “Investing in a Healthier America: Chronic Disease Prevention and Treatment. For more updates and to subscribe to the weekly newsletter, visit: www.naccho.org/advocacy.   Later in the program (7:08), Nicholas Adams, Senior Program Analyst on NACCHO's Food Safety Team, is joined by Amanda Anderson, Consumer Health and Food Safety Manager at the Pima County Health Department in Arizona — and a member of the 2024 Cohort of NACCHO's Food Safety Mentorship Program under the NEHA-FDA Retail Flexible Funding Model Grant Program. In this pilot episode of a five-part Food Safety series, Anderson shares how Pima County's processes for monitoring and responding to foodborne illness outbreaks has significantly improved due to their work on Standard 5 of the FDA's Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards and with the Council to Improve Foodborne Illness Outbreak Response. The discussion is focused around improving and utilizing a data-driven foodborne illness tracking program that has made major impacts in Pima County's efforts to respond to outbreaks.   ###   About NACCHO The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the over 3,300 local governmental health departments across the country. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information, visit www.naccho.org.

Washington, DC, September 12, 2024 — On this special podcast episode, the National Association of County and City Health Officials' (NACCHO) Director of Government Affairs, Victoria Van de Vate, welcomes special guest Eric McNulty, Associate Director of the National Preparedness Leadership Initiative at Harvard University, for a bonus episode on best practices to implement for effective preparedness work on the local level. September is National Preparedness Month, and every year NACCHO reinforces the importance of preparing for emergencies and disasters in order to keep families and communities safe.   During this episode, McNulty shares key approaches that public health officials can apply to build trust in their communities, which is essential in any crisis. As McNulty describes, public health officials can position themselves as a trusted voice by engaging in day-to-day conversations with their communities, lead through complexities by identifying the disconnect in a crisis, and make it a daily practice to strengthen communications outreach plans that are relatable and easy to grasp. It is also important to prioritize a crisis recovery plan when preparing for the next public health emergency. Early next year, NACCHO will convene at the 2025 Preparedness Summit, which aims to explore this topic further through the theme of “Pathways to Recovery in the Aftermath of Disasters.” For more information on how to obtain a media pass for the 2025 Preparedness Summit please contact lharley@naccho.org – limited passes are available.   ###   About NACCHO The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the over 3,300 local governmental health departments across the country. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information, visit www.naccho.org.

Washington, DC, August 23, 2024 — On this month's podcast, the National Association of County and City Health Officials' (NACCHO) Victoria Van de Vate, Director of Government Affairs, and Lauren Mastroberardino, Government Affairs Senior Specialist, provided an outlook for federal funding this fall, amid the summer Congressional recess and the upcoming election season. They also discussed the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) Senate Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill (also known as the Labor-HHS bill), and how that sets up possible funding negotiations later this year. For more updates and to subscribe to the weekly newsletter, visit: www.naccho.org/advocacy.   Later in the program (6:34), NACCHO's Victoria Van de Vate, Director of Government Affairs, and Meghan Shea, Senior Program Analyst - Informatics, discussed key findings from NACCHO's 2024 Public Health Informatics Profile. The first-of-its-kind assessment fills a key gap in our nation's understanding of the information science workforce, data systems, and the overall scope of informatics at the local public health level. The findings illuminate a wide picture of informatics and data modernization efforts across the country. Notably, key findings show that while over half of local health departments are working on data modernization initiatives, most are doing so without a dedicated informatics team or department. There is also a high level of interest in using AI, with over half of local health departments interested in adapting AI or machine learning into their work.   ###    About NACCHO The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the over 3,300 local governmental health departments across the country. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information, visit www.naccho.org.

Ellen Essick, Section Chief for the NC Healthy Schools Section at the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, explains the results of North Carolina's Youth Risk Behavior Survey; Byron Lobsinger, Environmental Health Emergency Planner for the Department of Public Health in Georgia, recaps the impacts Hurricane Debby had on his state; ASTHO along with NACCHO and the CDC has published an article focused on lessons learned from the Public Health Disability Specialists program;  ASTHO, with support from the EPA, has created four Community Action Plan Templates for state and territorial health agencies to address children's environmental health; and the CDC has issued a Health Alert Network Health Advisory about current increases in human parvovirus B19 activity. North Carolina Department of Public Instruction Web Page: NC Youth Risk Behavior Surveys show improvement in student mental health ASTHO Blog Article: Preparing for and Responding to Infectious Disease Threats Following Hurricanes ASTHO Blog Article: Responding to Environmental Health Threats Following Hurricanes ASTHO Blog Article: Why It's Never Too Early to Prep for Hurricane Season Journal of Public Health Management & Practice Article: Best Practices and Lessons Learned From the Public Health Disability Specialists Program – Addressing the Needs of People With Disabilities During COVID-19 ASTHO Resource: Community Action Plan Templates for Children's Environmental Health CDC Web Page: Increase in Human Parvovirus B19 Activity in the United States

Washington, DC, July 12, 2024 — On this month's podcast, the National Association of County and City Health Officials' (NACCHO) Victoria Van de Vate, Director of Government Affairs, and Lauren Mastroberardino, Government Affairs Senior Specialist, discussed the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) House Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill (also known as the Labor-HHS bill). The bill covers topline dollar amounts for key public health agencies as well as programs important to local health departments. For more updates and to subscribe to the weekly newsletter, visit: www.naccho.org/advocacy. Later in the program (6:26), NACCHO's Kellie Hall, Director of Data Communications; Robin Mowson, Director of Immunization; and Amy Maxson, Senior Program Analyst, discussed key findings from the 2023 Immunization Profile Study released last month. The report shows that half of local health departments reported limited staffing as a key challenge in conducting immunization-related services, despite the recent growth in the overall workforce driven by COVID-related funding. Local health departments have improved access to routine immunizations by expanding clinics in community settings and fostering partnerships with healthcare providers or community leaders. Despite the increased activities to expand access, 82% of local health departments still reported that vaccine hesitancy was a barrier to conducting immunization-related activities. ### About NACCHO The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the over 3,300 local governmental health departments across the country. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information, visit www.naccho.org.

Washington, DC, June 14, 2024 — On this month's podcast, the National Association of County and City Health Officials' (NACCHO) Victoria Van de Vate, Director of Government Affairs, and Lauren Mastroberardino, Government Affairs Senior Specialist, provided an outlook on the Fiscal Year 2025 federal funding landscape and the implications for local public health.   Later in the program (5:02), NACCHO's Kellie Hall, Director of Data Communications; David Okereke, Senior Research Specialist; Victoria Van de Vate, Director of Government Affairs; and Meghan Shea, Senior Program Analyst for Informatics, discussed important research findings from NACCHO's 2023 Forces of Change Survey, which assesses changes in local health department infrastructure driven by public health trends. The recently released report describes local health department billing capacity, the use and growth of the community health worker workforce, social determinants of health activities, and data modernization efforts.   To learn more about the findings from the 2023 Forces of Change Survey, visit www.naccho.org/forces.   ###   About NACCHO The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the over 3,300 local governmental health departments across the country. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information, visit www.naccho.org.

 Washington, DC, May 17, 2024 — On this month's podcast, the National Association of County and City Health Officials' (NACCHO) Adriane Casalotti, Chief of Government and Public Affairs, and Victoria Van de Vate, Director of Government Affairs discussed the current status of the H5N1 avian “bird” flu outbreak in dairy cattle and the situation on coordinating a federal-level response, from making personal protective equipment (PPE) readily available to testing livestock and farmworkers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that local health departments connect individuals to testing if they observe an increase in sick animals and farmworkers, utilize CDC communication resources, and ensure that farms and farmworkers have access to PPE.   Later in the program (13:24), Elana Filipos, Program Analyst on the Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health team at NACCHO, and Mary “Maret” Wachira, Health Educator Consultant and IBCLC at the Florida Department of Health in Citrus County (DOH-Citrus), discussed how DOH-Citrus initiated a pilot program to provide prenatal care and treatment for pregnant people with substance use disorders (SUDs). Drug overdose deaths in pregnant and postpartum women increased significantly between early 2018 to late 2021, according to a recent study by researchers at the National Institute on Drug Abuse at the National Institutes of Health. However, pregnant people seeking support for an SUD during the perinatal period may face stigmatizing barriers to care that prevent them from accessing medical treatment and behavioral interventions. To address this growing public health concern, DOH-Citrus implemented a holistic prenatal care service model that incorporates Medication for Opioid Use Disorder services and mental health counseling during routine prenatal care appointments to improve outcomes for pregnant people and infants in their community.   Learn more about the Citrus County program via a journal article published in the Maternal and Child Health Journal, titled “Addressing Perinatal Opioid Use at a Local Health Department in Florida.”    ###   About NACCHO The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the over 3,300 local governmental health departments across the country. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information, visit www.naccho.org.

Washington, DC, April 19, 2024 — On this month's podcast, the National Association of County and City Health Officials' (NACCHO) Victoria Van de Vate, Director of Government Affairs, and Lauren Mastroberardino, Government Affairs Senior Specialist, spoke about recent changes to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program and final FY2024 funding amounts for Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, which include programs and agencies crucial for public health. Sign up here to receive our Congressional Action Alerts.   Later in the program (5:14), Emily Winkelstein, Director of Overdose Prevention at NACCHO, and Dr. Michael Kilkenny, Chief Executive of the Cabell-Huntington Health Department in West Virginia and incoming NACCHO President, discussed efforts to advance evidence-based overdose prevention initiatives on a local level, with a focus on communities particularly hard-hit by overdose. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released its overdose mortality data for 2022 showing that while fatal overdose rates remained somewhat stable between 2021 and 2022, the number of fatal overdoses had claimed the lives of 107,941 peope in 2022. The data also shows that synthetic opioids combined with stimulants, coming from supply contamination, polysubstance use, or both, are drivers in the fourth wave of the overdose crisis. Dr. Kilkenny discussed some of the harm reduction strategies his jurisdiction has implemented, the importance of using a holistic approach to substance use that centers dignity and respect for people who use drugs, and why using data to understand the scope and needs of the communities most impacted will help address the overdose crisis.    ###    About NACCHO The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the country's over 3,300 local governmental health departments. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information about NACCHO, please visit www.naccho.org.

El campo de parto y lactancia tiene personas a quien se le pueden decir "porteros" (porteras y porteres), que tienen una llave de la puerta que tiene la posibilidad de darle paso a otras para seguir su camino. Pero como en muchos aspectos de un mundo de egos, favoritismo, y competencia innecesaria, estas personas muchas veces aguantan la puerta y solo se la abren a quienes piensan y se ven iguales a elles. Esta llave es una que se pudiera usar para bien, e integrar a personas de base comunitaria y de comunidades marginadas. Lamentablemente, solo tienes que ver la cara de quien maneja las organizaciones de mayor poder en lactacia y se sabe que el nepotismo y la exclusión siguen siendo la orden del día. No olviden que si quieren créditos continuos en lactancia (CERPs) gratis a través de la serie de los 1000 días de Alimentación Segura Infantil bajo una subvención de NACCHO, solo tienen que buscar los cursos aquí y son completamente libres de costo. Los créditos educativos estarán activos por un año luego de la transmisión.

Washington, DC, March 22, 2024 — On this month's podcast, the National Association of County and City Health Officials' (NACCHO) Victoria Van de Vate, Director of Government Affairs, and Lauren Mastroberardino, Government Affairs Senior Specialist, recapped NACCHO's annual Local Public Health on the Hill event, which engaged over 100 Congressional Offices on key policy and funding needs of local health departments. Later, they discussed the release of President Biden's Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 budget proposal. Learn more about the Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Program, and read NACCHO's blog post, “White House Release President's Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Proposal.”   Later in the program (6:21), Robin Mowson, Director of Immunization at NACCHO, and Amber Tirmal, Immunization Program Manager at the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, discussed the recent measles outbreak in the United States and initiatives they have implemented to prevent another spread in Philadelphia. As of March 14, 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported 58 measles cases in 17 different states, matching the total number of U.S. cases reported in 2023. Earlier this year, Philadelphia had eight confirmed cases. Now that their outbreak is over, they continue to focus their efforts on using data-driven approaches to identify and address lower pockets of vaccination coverage, educating communities on vaccine health and building key partnerships, specifically with the local school district. Listen to the episode and read NACCHO's new blog on the measles outbreak.    ###    About NACCHO The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the country's over 3,300 local governmental health departments. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information about NACCHO, please visit www.naccho.org.

On this month's podcast, the National Association of County and City Health Officials' (NACCHO) Lauren Mastroberardino, Government Affairs Senior Specialist, gives an update on the FY2024 appropriations negotiations and what to expect from Congress. Later in the program (2:36), Timothy McCall, NACCHO's Director of Research, was joined by NACCHO staff, Adriane Casalotti, Chief of Government and Public Affairs, and Victoria Van de Vate, Director of Government Affairs, to discuss on the recent release of the 2022 National Profile of Local Health Departments (Profile Study). The Profile Study represents the largest and most reliable data source on local health department infrastructure and practice. In their conversation, they dig into key findings about the current local health department workforce, including that more than 70% of local health departments reported that their agency, leadership, or personnel experienced harassment because of COVID-19 response activities. They also discussed the most recent data on the size of the local health department workforce and the context that likely contributed to it, as an influx of funding during the pandemic helped bolster the workforce to grow by 19%. They note that this increase is almost certainly short-lived without additional, long-term investment in the local health department workforce. With the new Profile data now published, the group also discussed how these data are being used to help drive NACCHO's policy advocacy at the federal level. One of NACCHO's top priorities is to support all local health departments and serve staff at all levels by advocating for funding to support new positions, improve recruiting efforts with the Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment program, and boost retention by providing key training, support, and professional development opportunities for local health department staff.

On this week's podcast, the National Association of County and City Health Officials' Victoria Van de Vate, Director of Government Affairs, and Lauren Mastroberardino, Government Affairs Senior Specialist, cover the appropriations process and give an update on government funding, including rescissions of unobligated funds. They also discuss NACCHO's 2024 legislative and policy agenda, highlighting this year's most important issues for local public health. Sign up for the weekly newsletter: News from Washington - NACCHO

On this week's podcast, the National Association of County and City Health Officials' Victoria Van de Vate, Director of Government Affairs, and Lauren Mastroberardino, Government Affairs Senior Specialist, provided a Congressional update on upcoming government funding challenges. They also discussed recent letters that NACCHO sent to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion on Healthy People 2030 objectives and to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division of STD Prevention about its proposed guidelines on the use of doxycycline as post-exposure prophylaxis to prevent STI transmission.    Later in the program (4:50), Timothy McCall, NACCHO's Director of Research, hosted a discussion with co-authors Rita Burke, Associate Professor of Clinical Population and Public Health Sciences and Pediatrics at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine; Larissa Chiari-Keith, Chief Executive Officer of Alala Advisors; and Emma Hunter, Health Emergency Preparedness Analyst at San Mateo County Health, to talk about their recently published qualitative analysis of California public health officials' experiences of harassment during COVID-19. NACCHO's Forces of Change survey found that 60% of local health departments reported their agency, leadership, and/or staff were targeted with harassment during the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, one study found that 20% of Americans felt that harassing public health leaders was justified early in the pandemic; this rose to 25% in 2021. Even though this harassment crisis surfaced three years ago, the impacts on individuals, communities, and the public health system persist. NACCHO is drawing attention to this urgent issue. The study aimed to collect qualitative data highlighting the harrowing stories from local health officials and to better understand their experiences of harassment. The pandemic not only exposed vulnerabilities in the public health and healthcare system, but it also subjected local health officials to psychological impacts, systemic backlash, and burnout. 

On this week's podcast, the National Association of County and City Health Officials' Victoria Van de Vate, Director of Government Affiars, and Lauren Mastroberardino, Government Affairs Senior Specialist, provided an update on the new "laddered" Continuing Resolution, which created two funding deadlines in early 2024 and avoided an end-of-year government shutdown. They gave an analysis on the House Labor-HHS bill. Also, Mastroberardino and Van de Vate discussed NACCHO's recent response to an RFI from Senator Bill Cassidy on modernizing the CDC as well as a letter that NACCHO sent to the White House Drug Shortage Task Force urging them to prioritize the Bicillin L-A shortage, which is the only treatement available to pregnant individuals with syphilis. Later in the program (6:08), NACCHO Senior Program Analyst Bianca Lawrence spoke with Susan Tilgner, Executive Director at Ohio Public Health Partnership, and Belinda Leslie, an Administrator with the Portsmouth City Health Department in Portsmouth, Ohio, who are using performance improvement to build the ability of local health departments to improve the quality of their operations and programming and make sure that they meet national public health standards. Ohio Public Health Partnership has participated in the Statewide Association Performance Improvement Training and Technical Assistance Support Initiative to provide tailored accreditation support to local health departments in Ohio, such as Portsmouth City, through their Accreditation Learning Community. Accreditation, like many performance improvement programs, assist local governmental public health in improving their organizational infrastructure so that they can better support all people in their community to live their healthiest lives. Tilgner and Leslie discuss the unique opportunity provided by the Accreditation Learning Community to develop meaningful performance metrics and network with local health department peers in Ohio to learn best practices for accreditation and performance improvement.

On this week's podcast, the National Association of County and City Health Officials' Adriane Casalotti, Chief of Government and Public Affairs and Lauren Mastroberardino, Government Affairs Senior Specialist welcome Victoria Van de Vate, NACCHO's new Director of Government Affairs. The team provided an update on government funding and the newly elected Speaker of the House of Representatives. They also discussed a letter that NACCHO and 110 other public health organizations sent to the Senate opposing a proposal to cut $980 million from the Prevention and Public Health Fund, also known as the Prevention Fund, in order to provide funding for the Primary Care and Health Workforce Act. Later in the program (9:17), NACCHO Senior Program Analyst Francis Higgins spoke with two representatives from local health departments that are doing overdose prevention work: Sixto Aguirre, a CPSW/Case Manager II, Peer Supported Probation at the Rio Arriba Department of Health and Human Services in New Mexico, and Seth Dewey, a Health Educator at the Reno County Health Department in Kansas. Both are NACCHO overdose prevention award recipients. Nearly 110,000 Americans died of overdose in 2022. Aguirre and Dewey discussed their lived experiences, how they got connected to their overdose prevention work, and what their local health departments are doing in response to the crisis. Local health departments are integrating people with lived and living experience into overdose prevention work to strengthen their activities and the communities they serve. Also, they are working with community partners to promote the health and safety of people who use drugs, to support folks who are interacting with the criminal legal system, and to prevent overdose.

Dr. Marcus Plescia, ASTHO's Chief Medical Officer, shares the challenges facing plans to ban tobacco flavorings; Dr. David McSwane, Executive Director of the Conference for Food Protection, explains the collaborative work of CFP and NACCHO to research and evaluate retail program standards networks; a new ASTHO blog article examines how everyday surroundings impact the health of communities; and an ASTHO infographic shares exercises health agencies can use to prepare for emergencies.    ASTHO Webpage: From the Chief Medical Officer: How State Health Officials Can Make a Stand Against Menthol An Evaluation of Existing Retail Program Standards Networks ASTHO Webpage: What Surrounds Us Shapes Our Health—Look to Primary Prevention for Better Health ASTHO Webpage: Seven Emergency Preparedness Exercises for Health Agencies  

On this week's Podcast from Washington, Adriane Casalotti, Chief of Government and Public Affairs and Lauren Mastroberardino, Government Affairs Senior Specialist, provide an update on the appropriations process. Casalotti covers House and Senate topline funding amounts and discusses implications for public health. Mastroberardino discusses the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA) reauthorization and provides updates from Congress. She also talks about Dr. Rochelle Walensky's departure from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and President Biden's new appointee, Mandy Cohen. Casalotti provides detail about recent Capitol Hill testimony provided by NACCHO members, and finally, invites NACCHO members to attend Government Affairs' NACCHO360 session, “Informing Public Health Policy in a Complex Political Climate,” on Wednesday, July 12 at the conference in Denver or over the livestream.   Later in the program, NACCHO Communications Specialist Beth Hess spoke with Daniel Aldrich, PhD, Professor of Political Science, Public Policy and Urban Affairs, Northeastern University. Aldrich joined the 2023 Preparedness Summit in April as one of the plenary speakers on the topic of empowering resilient communities. They discussed the importance of social capital—the networks of relationships among people who live and work in a particular society—and the role it plays in empowering communities to thrive.

Dr. Janelle Palacios, Nurse Midwife and Researcher at Kaiser Permanente, says we need better data on the health challenges facing American Indian and Alaska Native mothers and their babies; Dr. Clifford Mitchell, Director of the Environmental Health Bureau for the Maryland Department of Health, discusses advancements in Maryland's Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program; ASTHO partners with NACCHO on a new webinar discussing the Public Health AmeriCorps program; ASTHO has a new Q&A with Palina Louangketh, Chief of the Bureau of Equity and Strategic Partnerships for the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, on health equity in Idaho; and ASTHO is hiring multiple positions.     ACIMM: Making Amends: Recommended Strategies and Actions to Improve the Health and Safety of American Indian and Alaska Native Mothers and Infants Maryland Department of Health: Lead Poisoning Prevention   Public Health Review: Data Strategies to Improve Health Outcomes for Indigenous Communities ASTHO Webinar: Meet Public Health AmeriCorps, A Pipeline for Public Health Workforce ASTHO Webpage: Q&A with Palina Louangketh ASTHO Webpage: Careers at ASTHO

In this week's podcast, the National Association of County and City Health Officials' Government Affairs team members Kerry Allen and Lauren Mastroberardino provided an update on the Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations process in Congress, including how the debt ceiling negotiations may factor in, as well as ongoing congressional investigations into COVID-19 origins. They also talked about the Food and Drug Administration's move to make opioid reversal medication naloxone available over the counter. Since the Public Health Emergency ends on May 11, Allen provided insight into emerging details from federal agencies about the new landscape of COVID-19 response. Mastroberardino spoke about her experience at the 2023 Preparedness Summit, organized by NACCHO, and discussed her key takeaways and reflections from the largest gathering of public health and preparedness leaders. Later in the podcast, Ramona Poblete, a Program Analyst at NACCHO, spoke with Rear Admiral Paul Reed, Director of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service's Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, and Glenda Redeemer, MSN, Chronic Disease Prevention Division Manager at Tarrant County Public Health Department in Texas, for a discussion on Healthy People 2030's Leading Health Indicators. The Healthy People Initiative serves as the nation's plan for addressing our most critical public health priorities and challenges. Their discussion explored how local health officials can use the Leading Health Indicators in their work to achieve successful health outcomes in their communities. Learn more about Healthy People tools, features, and partnership initiatives such as the Healthy People 2030 Champion Program.

In this week's podcast, the National Association of County and City Health Officials' Government Affairs team members Kerry Allen and Lauren Mastroberardino provided highlights from this year's Local Public Health on the Hill event. This NACCHO-organized event brought more than 100 public health leaders to meet with 120 members of Congress spanning 30 states. In the midst of these in-person and virtual Hill meetings, President Biden released his Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Request, which contained requests for increased funding for programs at the Department of Health and Human Services. Allen and Mastroberardino also discussed proposed new programs to address pandemic preparedness and adult vaccine access; NACCHO's recent advocacy actions, which will continue throughout the appropriations process; and NACCHO's work to inform legislative efforts underway in Congress to bolster the public health workforce and reauthorize the Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA).   Later in the program, Nicholas Holmes of NACCHO's Immunization Team spoke with Kate Guzman, the administrator of medical services for the Oakland County Health Division, in Pontiac, Michigan and Carolina Sisiruca, health educator with Centro Multicultural La Familia, about using radio to reach English and Spanish speakers about the importance of COVID-19 vaccinations and other immunizations. They are the developers and co-hosts of the Oakland County Health radio broadcast show – a public health segment that has caught the attention of NPR leaders and has captivated audiences with public health content that empowers listeners to make informed decisions to improve and protect their health and wellbeing.

MTPConnect's Targeted Translation Research Accelerator (TTRA) program has opened a new funding round to support diabetes and cardiovascular disease research projects that address the unmet health and medical needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in rural, remote, regional, and urban centres. To develop this Indigenous-specific round, MTPConnect has partnered with the Lowitja Institute to lead the priority setting and ensure the voices of Indigenous communities have been centred in every aspect of the process to determine the health priority areas that will receive research funding. To find out more about the application process, project eligibility and selection criteria, listen in to this TTRA Information Session to hear  from MTPConnect's TTRA team – Dr Mana Liao, Dr Erin McAllum and Dr Andionne Parlade, and Lowitja Institute's Dr Michelle Kennedy, NACCHO's Christopher Lee, Diabetes Australia's Deanne Minniecon and AusHSI's Megan Campbell.  Applications close 28 April 2023.

On this month's podcast, NACCHO Government Affairs team members Kerry Allen and Lauren Mastroberardino recap key provisions in the omnibus spending bill Congress passed at the end of 2022. Most exciting to NACCHO, the bill reauthorized the Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Program, which once operationalized will offer loan repayment to public health professionals who agree to serve three years at a local, state, or Tribal health department. They also reflect on the beginning of the 118th Congress, highlighting recent committee hearings and votes in the House related to rolling back COVID-19 related policies. Kerry and Lauren also talk about NACCHO's 2023 Federal Legislative and Policy Agenda and remind listeners about the upcoming virtual Public Health on the Hill event on March 6-10. Later in the program, Victoria Freire, NACCHO's Senior Program Analyst of Rural Health, spoke to Ron Sprong, the Community Health Manager, Mental Health First Aid instructor and Peer Recovery Specialist at Greene County Health Department in Carrolton, Illinois.  NACCHO has just launched its Rural and Frontier Public Health section of the website, and in recognition of the unique challenges that rural and frontier health departments have, in today's interview Sprong discusses rural health department's activities in operations, community health and emergency preparedness.   

In this week's podcast, Kerry Allen welcomes a new member to the NACCHO Government Affairs team, Lauren Mastroberardino. Kerry and Lauren provide an update on mid-term election outcomes and implications for the upcoming year, which will see divided government in Washington. Congress is back for a lame-duck session, and Kerry and Lauren cover ongoing Fiscal Year 2023 appropriations considerations. They also discuss NACCHO's advocacy to pass the Public Health Loan Repayment Program in end-of-year legislation, including how members can take action to urge their members of Congress to support the program. They celebrate the CDC's recent announcement of over $3 billion in first-of-its-kind funding directly to local, state, and territorial jurisdictions to support public health workforce and infrastructure. Finally, the team encourages listeners to save the date for NACCHO's Virtual Hill Week, which will be held March 6-10.    Later in the program, Hassanatu Blake, NACCHO's Director of Health Equity and Social Justice, speaks with Dr. Simbo Ige, Assistant Commissioner for the Bureau of Health Equity and Capacity Building at the New York City's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene about the continued need to push health equity in practice despite the wind down of federal funding for COVID programming. As our country continues to reflect on the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hassanatu and Dr. Ige discuss how local health departments are rethinking how health inequities are addressed in public health practice.  They also talk about the $2.25 billion Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Initiative to Address COVID-19 Health Disparities Among Populations at High-Risk and Underserved, Including Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations and Rural Communities monumental grant and how it has supported New York City's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's systematic approaches to addressing health inequities. Lastly, Dr. Ige shares with listeners crucial information to follow and support New York City Department of Health's equity work.  

This episode of the Design Thinking 101 podcast is 5.5 Things Every Designer Should Know About: the Opioid Overdose Epidemic. Our guest today is Stacy Stanford, the Senior Director of Overdose Injury and Violence Prevention at the National Association of County and City Health Officials in Washington DC (NACCHO). At NACCHO, she leads the overdose injury and violence prevention team to deliver funding and technical assistance to more than 60 communities across the United States.   Listen to learn about: The current state of the U.S. opioid overdose epidemic The ways COVID-19 has affected the healthcare system's ability to work with and treat those who use drugs The core principles of harm reduction The role misperceptions and stigma about drug use play in making it difficult for those who use drugs to get treatment Our Guest Stacy Stanford joined NACCHO in 2012 and is currently serving as a Senior Director of Overdose, Injury and Violence Prevention. She provides leadership, planning and guidance to the team's management and staff in the areas of drug overdose, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), falls prevention, and the intersection of COVID, ACEs, and Suicide Prevention. Prior to this position she was the Director of Public Health Transformation and led Project SHINE, a fellowship to strengthen health systems through interprofessional education. Ms. Stanford received her Masters of Science in Public Health Microbiology from The George Washington University School of Public Health. She also holds a bachelor's degree in Biology from the University of Denver. Prior to joining NACCHO, she worked on Influenza surveillance and in the development of HAvBED, the Hospital Bed Availability Reporting System during H1N1 at the Department of Health and Human Service.   Show Highlights  [01:47] Stacy talks about her work at NACCHO, the membership organization of local health departments for the U.S. [03:15] The current state of the opioid overdose epidemic. [03:55] There have been three waves in the epidemic. [05:04] How the COVID-19 pandemic affected our ability to respond to the epidemic. [05:40] The worst problems caused by the pandemic. [06:36] The rise in telemedicine and mobile vans. [07:31] Harm reduction and keeping people safe. [08:08] What is harm reduction? [08:48] A misperception about drug use. [09:42] The core principles of harm reduction. [11:01] What implementation of harm reduction looks like in practice. [12:42] Medication for Opioid Disorder. [13:11] The importance of having peers throughout the programs and healthcare systems that serve those who use drugs. [15:01] The need to change perspectives and de-stigmatize drug use. [16:10] Intersectional stigma. [18:09] What happens when someone gets labeled as an addict or abuser.   Links Stacy on LinkedIn Chicago Recovery Alliance National Harm Reduction Coalition CDC Drug Overdose information website Drug Policy Alliance Shatterproof   Other Design Thinking 101 Episodes You Might Like  5.5 Things Every Designer Should Know About: The Future of Higher Education with Bryan Alexander — DT101 E97 5.5 Things Every Designer Should Know About Strategic Foresight with Bart Édes — DT101 E95

In this week's podcast, NACCHO Government Affairs team members Adriane Casalotti and Kerry Allen provide an update on the status of federal funding and discuss NACCHO's priorities for a possible Fiscal Year 2023 omnibus appropriations bill. They also review the progress made on legislation to establish a public health loan repayment program, and ongoing NACCHO efforts to get that across the finish line before the 117th Congress ends, including an upcoming opportunity for NACCHO members to engage with their federal lawmakers in support of the program. Adriane describes the implications of and discussion around the recent CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommendations on the COVID-19 vaccine. Finally, the team reminds listeners that many public health policy decisions will hinge on the outcome of the upcoming midterm elections and urges everyone to vote. Later in the program, we talk about one of the latest outbreaks – monkeypox (MPX) – with Dr. Philip Huang, Director of the Dallas County Health and Human Services, Andy Meléndez Salgado, MPH, Manager of the Public Health Emergencies and Environmental Health Unit of the New Orleans Health Department, and Dr. Judith Shlay, Associate Director of the Public Health Institute at Denver Health. We discuss how local health departments are working to reach populations at risk for MPX and how lessons learned from COVID-19 response are helping local jurisdictions to address MPX.

In this week's podcast, NACCHO Government Affairs team members Adriane Casalotti and Kerry Allen catch up on the busy summer, which started out at NACCHO 360, our annual conference. They cover two recent “wins” in administrative advocacy: the CDC public health workforce funding opportunity and a repeal of the so-called “public charge” rule NACCHO had opposed during the last administration. They also discuss the Inflation Reduction Act, which expanded no-cost vaccine coverage for adults in Medicare and Medicaid and made $369 billion in climate change investments. Finally, they update on the current state of play in Washington as Congress works on a way forward on a short-term funding bill that will kick negotiations on full fiscal year 2023 appropriations to after the mid-term elections.  In recognition of National Preparedness Month, the podcast also features a discussion about the future of CDC's Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) program, which marks its 20th year in 2022. Ben Robison, Health Commissioner for the Wood County Health Department in Ohio, joins the podcast to talk about the importance of PHEP locally, how the program might evolve in the future, and how you can get involved in advancing PHEP's evolution in your jurisdiction.

The hostility some of us in public health have experienced over the last couple of years from science-deniers can be pretty demoralizing at times. In today's episode, we're going to explore the roots of anti-science bias, the playbook that anti-science propagandists use, and talk about some tools you can use to bridge gaps and more effectively communicate even when audiences are polarized and skeptical of the science.Some resources we reference in this episode:Resources:‘Follow the science': As the third year of the pandemic begins, a simple slogan becomes a political weapon, Washington Post, February 11, 2022.NACCHO survey on threats to public health departments2020 article in Scientific American called The Denialists' PlaybookMore on the Change Conversation Cycle and related topics Please click the button to subscribe so you don't miss any episodes and leave a review if your favorite podcast app has that ability. Thank you!For more information, visit the Health Comm Central website at: http://www.HealthCommCentral.com© 2022 Karen Hilyard, Ph.D.

Annie Evans, ASTHO's Director of Preparedness and Disability Integration, discusses the results of an 18-month project that placed disability and preparedness specialists in jurisdictions across the states and territories; John Clymer with the Community Preventive Services Task Force discusses the group's latest report to Congress; Dr. Amy Ladley, the State Perinatal Quality Program Manager for the Bureau of Family Health in Louisiana, says most birthing hospitals in the state are supporting new initiatives to help pregnant and postpartum people struggling with opioid use; and ASTHO's Health Equity Summit 2022 is next Wednesday, July 27th. NACCHO 360 Conference Webpage ASTHO Webpage: Disability Inclusion The Community Guide Webpage The Community Guide Webpage: 2021 Annual Report to Congress ASTHO Health Equity Summit Registration

In this week's podcast, NACCHO Government Affairs team members Adriane Casalotti and Kerry Allen discuss the much-anticipated funding opportunity from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Strengthening the US Public Health Infrastructure, Workforce, and Data Systems.” They also summarize recent developments in Congress on gun safety legislation and the ongoing stalemate around supplemental COVID-19 funding. The podcast also features a discussion about the upcoming Inaugural Public Health Law Practitioners Convening that will be held on August 17-19 in Chicago. The conference theme is “Law, Policy, and Equity in Public Health Practice.” Podcast guests are Gerard “Jerry” Giuliano, Director of the Office of Public Health Legal Affairs for the Nassau County Department of Health, and NACCHO's Director for Public Health Law and Policy Geoffrey Mwaungulu, Jr. Law and policy practitioners are integral to state, tribal, local, and territorial public health practice. They develop and interpret public health authorities, enforce regulations, and leverage the law to positively impact community health. To support the critical role of public health law and policy professionals, CDC and NACCHO have organized this inaugural convening for practitioners.

In this week's episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO Government Affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Adriane Casalotti talk through the status of FY2023 appropriations bills. They also discuss the fate of a COVID-19 emergency supplemental spending bill as COVID-19 cases rise across the country. Finally, they examine a new NACCHO report on the state of local vector control capacity in the U.S.   Later in the program, Ian spoke with African American Infant and Maternal Mortality Initiative (AAIMM) Outreach and Engagement Director for LA County Public Health and NACCHO Maternal Child Health, Infectious Disease, and Preparedness (MIP) Workgroup member Adjoa Jones. They talk about her role in the community and the maternal child health program in LA County. They also examine NACCHO's efforts to strengthen and support the maternal child health program nationwide. 

In this week's episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO Government Affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Kerry Allen discuss the release of NACCHO's 2020 Forces of Change report that shows changes in public health trends. They also summarize NACCHO's response to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) proposed rules to prohibit menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars. Finally, they recap Congressional budget hearings held over the last week, and Moderna's request to authorize its COVID-19 vaccine for children 6 and under.   Later in the program, Ian speaks with NACCHO Director of Research Tim McCall to hear more about the new 2020 Forces of Change report. They cover how the report is put together through local health department outreach, and a few interesting findings the report uncovers. Finally, they discuss how to access the 2020 Forces of Change report and how users can request datasets to conduct additional analysis. 

In this week's episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO Government Affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Kerry Allen celebrate National Public Health Week. During National Public Health Week NACCHO recognizes and thanks public health professionals from across the country who are vital to the health and safety of the communities they serve. They discuss the President's FY2023 Budget Request and the $10 billion COVID-19 emergency supplemental currently under negotiation in Congress (see more below).  Later in the program, in recognition of National Public Health Week, Ian Goldstein speaks with Health Director for the Granville-Vance Public Health District and NACCHO President Lisa Macon Harrison. They discuss the importance of National Public Health Week and how NACCHO can better support public health professionals. They also discuss how local health departments can engage and collaborate with partners to support public health and health equity. 

In this week's Podcast from Washington, NACCHO Government Affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Kerry Allen summarize the status of the PREVENT Pandemics Act. They also discuss the administration's urging of Congress to pass additional COVID-19 emergency supplemental funding. Finally, they cover a study released by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health that identified reports of harassment across local health departments.  Later in the program, in recognition of World TB Day, Ian speaks with Deputy Public Health Director and Director of Community Health Services for Genesee and Orleans Counties Brenden Bedard. They discuss tuberculosis (TB) programs in his rural jurisdiction that contains a large population of migrant workers and the need to develop partnerships to address TB needs in the community. Brenden also describes how COVID-19 affected his health department's TB program. 

In this week's episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO government affairs team members Adriane Casalotti and Ian Goldstein discuss the House passage of a $1.5 trillion omnibus bill that will fund the government through the rest of fiscal year 2022, which ends in September. They also discuss policy riders that made their way into the bill, including the classification of synthetic nicotine as a tobacco product.  Later in the program, Ian speaks with Dr. Mary Pittman, President and CEO of the Public Health Institute. They discuss an overview of the Healthy People 2030 goals and how PHI is incorporating those objectives into its work. Dr. Pittman offers tips for state-led organizations and health departments on how to engage stakeholders in adopting the Healthy People 2030 framework. 

In this week's episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO government affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Adriane Casalotti discuss NACCHO's comments on the draft text release of the PREVENT Pandemics Act. They also discuss the Republican-led Healthy Futures Task Force request for information on how to address major public health issues and NACCHO's response.   Later in the program, Ian Goldstein speaks with NACCHO CEO Lori Tremmel Freeman about NACCHO's goals for the year and lessons learned in 2021. They also discuss how NACCHO continues to support local health departments through the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, they discuss local health department activities and their ability to juggle multiple public health crises. 

In this week's episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO government affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Adriane Casalotti discuss the Senate reintroduction of the bipartisan Strengthening the Public Health Workforce Act (S. 3506). They give an update on the FY2022 appropriations process, as the deadline for federal funding under the current continuing resolution expires on February 18. They also discuss the Biden Administration's plan to distribute masks and at-home COVID-19 tests, and the nomination of Dr. Robert Califf as Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).   Later in the program, Ian speaks with Lindsey Sullivan, Director of Health Promotion for AppHealthcare at the Appalachian District Health Department, and Angela Graham, Executive Administrator at the Center for Health Equity at the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness, to discuss the Resilience Catalysts program. They discuss how their local health department got involved in the project and how participation in the project built resilience in their communities. 

In this week's episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO government affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Kerry Allen review Congressional action this week to raise the debt limit. They also discuss the Biden administration's lead pipe and paint action plan and the Senate hearing on the nomination of Dr. Robert Califf to head the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).   Later in the program, Ian Goldstein speaks with Director of Community Health Resources for DuPage County, IL Chris Hoff about preparedness activities around the arrival of the Omicron variant. They also discuss the community's response to the current rise in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths.   

In this week's episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO government affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Adriane Casalotti discuss the pending government shutdown unless Congress passes a continuing resolution before federal government funding runs out on December 3. They also discuss the arrival of the omicron variant and President Biden's 9-point plan to combat the pandemic. Finally, they discuss the passage of the Build Back Better Act in the House.   Later in the program, Ian Goldstein speaks with Senior Assistant County Counsel for Washington County, OR Brad Anderson. They discuss his work as a county attorney on the national opioid settlements and his hopes of how those dollars will be spent in the county. They also discuss how local health departments could receive funding through the settlements.  

In this week's episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO government affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Adriane Casalotti discuss NACCHO's letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland. They also discuss a House subcommittee markup on the Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Act, as well as updated Build Back Better Act (BBBA) legislative text.  Later in the program, Ian Goldstein speaks with Deputy Health Officer for the Orange County Health Care Agency and the NACCHO liaison to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Matt Zahn. They discuss the role of the liaison as well as the role of local health officials on the ACIP. 

In this week's episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO government affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Adriane Casalotti discuss the latest bill text for the Build Back Better Act that includes $7 billion for public health infrastructure. They also discuss the testimony from NACCHO President Lisa Macon Harrison at the bipartisan hearing for the Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Act.  Later in the program, Ian Goldstein speaks with Project Director for Community Benefit Insight at RTI International Laura Marcial. They discuss the Community Benefit Insight tool and how its data can be used by local health departments to determine how much is spent on health care in their communities. 

In this week's episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO government affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Adriane Casalotti discuss the looming deadline to pass a continuing resolution to fund the government by the end of the fiscal year on September 30, while also lifting the debt ceiling before a default. They also discuss the Food and Drug Administration's authorization of COVID-19 booster shots for those over 65, or over 18 and immunocompromised.  Later in the program, Ian speaks with the authors of Broke in America: Seeing, Understanding, and Ending U.S. Poverty, by Colleen Shaddox and Joanne Goldblum. They discuss how the authors became inspired to write a book about poverty in America and the solutions proposed in the book to tackle some of the nation's biggest challenges for impoverished people, such as access to clean water, housing, and transportation.