Public Health Review Morning Edition

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Your daily public health briefing with the latest news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO).

  1. 1h ago

    1147: PHIG Impact Report: How South Carolina Is Building a Stronger Workforce

    What happens when a health department invests directly in the education and professional growth of its workforce?  Karla Buru, deputy director of health strategy and external affairs and chief of staff for the South Carolina Department of Public Health, discusses the agency’s Supplemental Tuition Assistance Program (STAP), an innovative workforce development initiative that helps employees pursue nursing and public health degrees while strengthening the department’s long-term capacity. Since launching as a small pilot in 2022, the program has grown into a major investment in employee development, retention, and leadership.  Buru shares how tuition assistance, leadership training programs, and professional certifications are helping staff advance their careers while bringing new skills and expertise back to the agency.  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. Public Health Infrastructure Grant: Resources & Impact - PHIG

    10 min

  2. 1d ago

    1146: Budget Battles and Capitol Hill Updates

    Federal funding, workforce capacity, grant administration, and the future of public health programs are all under scrutiny in Washington.  ASTHO senior analyst for government affairs, Catherine Jones, breaks down Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s FY27 budget hearings, where lawmakers examined proposed reductions to HHS funding and questioned how cuts to public health programs align with the administration’s Make America Healthy Again agenda. Catherine discusses concerns surrounding maternal and child health, data collection, environmental health, workforce reductions, rural health needs, and the long-term implications for public health infrastructure.  Then, ASTHO vice president of government affairs, Jeffrey Ekoma, reviews a recent Legislative Alert. He explains developments in congressional appropriations, pending public health leadership nominations, proposed changes to federal grant regulations, and the possibility of another reconciliation package before the end of the year. He also shares what state and territorial health officials should be watching as Congress navigates funding decisions and prepares for a post-midterm legislative landscape. Congressional Hearings Feature Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., on FY27 Budget: April 2026 | ASTHO Strengthening Academic Health Department Partnerships: Workforce Pathways in California Safe States Annual Conference - Safe States Alliance

    16 min

  3. 4d ago

    1145: Why the South Is Facing a Syphilis Crisis

    Syphilis cases are rising at alarming rates across the American South, especially congenital syphilis, which can be passed from pregnant mothers to their babies. Thomas Dobbs, dean of the John D. Bower School of Population Health at the University of Mississippi, traces the history of syphilis in the United States, from the dramatic declines made possible by antibiotics and public health interventions to the sharp resurgence seen over the last decade. He explains how gaps in prenatal care, rural healthcare deserts, insurance barriers, medication shortages, and the erosion of public health infrastructure have combined to fuel rising infections. particularly among pregnant women and newborns. Later, Joshua O’Neal, program director, Southeast STI/HIV Prevention Training Center, discusses how prevention training centers across the country are helping state health departments and local providers respond to the crisis. O’Neal describes the hands-on work being done to strengthen syphilis prevention and improve access to testing and treatment, like mobile testing programs, provider education, and statewide collaboration efforts. He also shares insights from the “Syphilis in the South” summit, where clinicians, public health leaders, and outreach workers came together to tackle one of the region’s most urgent public health challenges.Sustaining Services and Outbreak Response for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STIs, and TB | ASTHO

    27 min

  4. 5d ago

    1144: Tracking Alpha-Gal Syndrome: Why Massachusetts Is Monitoring a Growing Tick-Borne Threat

    A tick bite that can trigger a lifelong allergy to red meat sounds almost unbelievable, but public health officials are taking the growing threat of alpha-gal syndrome seriously.  Robert Goldstein, ASTHO member and commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, shares with us why Massachusetts recently made alpha-gal syndrome a reportable condition and what the state hopes to learn through expanded surveillance. Dr. Goldstein explains how the spread of the Lone Star tick into parts of Massachusetts, including Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket, has led to rising diagnoses of the condition. The conversation explores how public health agencies are adapting traditional infectious disease surveillance systems to monitor a non-infectious condition, what the reporting data could reveal about emerging tick-borne risks, and how public health and wildlife officials are working together to better understand the relationship between deer populations and tick exposure.Leading Change Workshop - July 2026Prepared Together: Public Health Collaboration in Response to a Botulism Outbreak

    11 min

  5. 6d ago

    1143: AI Literacy and the Future of Public Health Work

    Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping public health, but are today’s workforce and tomorrow’s graduates prepared to use it responsibly? Today, Ari Whiteman, a senior advisor for public health data and informatics workforce at ASTHO, talks about the growing importance of AI literacy across the public health field.  He’ll explain why AI literacy goes beyond simply knowing how to use new tools and why public health professionals need practical, real-world training to safely integrate AI into their work. 2026 Annual Conference - Society for Public Health Education - SOPHE⁠ Full Schedule Strengthening Academic Health Department Partnerships: Workforce Pathways in CaliforniaThe Mutual Advantage: How Graduate Assistants Elevate Academic Health Department Partnerships

    13 min

  6. Jun 9

    1142: Why Immunization Information Systems Matter

    Immunization Information Systems, or IISs, quietly power much of the nation’s vaccination infrastructure helping clinicians track patient immunizations, supporting outbreak response, and guiding public health decision-making. But policies governing these systems vary widely across states, shaping how complete and effective the data can be.  ASTHO’s Senior Director of State Health Policy, Andy Baker-White, tells why IISs are essential to modern public health, how opt-in versus opt-out policies affect vaccine data completeness, and what lawmakers, providers, and the public should understand as policy debates continue.  Immunization Information Systems: Policy Trends and Opportunities | ASTHO Bridging Systems: How Guam is Improving Infectious Disease Response Through Collaboration | ASTHO Prepared Together: Public Health Collaboration in Response to a Botulism Outbreak

    11 min

  7. Jun 8

    1141: Stopping Outbreaks Before They Spread: CDC’s Global Health Security Mission and World Cup Preparedness

    What happens when a deadly outbreak is stopped before most people ever hear about it?  Dr. Paige Armstrong, director for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Global Health Center, explains how the CDC works with partners around the world to detect and contain emerging health threats before they reach U.S. communities. From Ebola in Uganda to Marburg in Tanzania, Dr. Armstrong shares real-world examples of how surveillance systems, laboratory networks, trained public health workers, and trusted international partnerships help stop outbreaks at their source. Also, Dr. Marcus Plescia, former ASTHO Chief Medical Officer and District Health Director for the Fulton Health District, District 3-2 in Atlanta, Georgia discusses the massive public health preparations underway for the FIFA World Cup in Atlanta. We’ll hear about the complex planning required to protect millions of visitors during one of the world’s largest sporting events.Outbreaks You Never Heard About: Because CDC Was There | Global Health Protection | CDC Developing a Policy Action Plan to Improve Access to STI Medications WebinarBridging Systems: How Kentucky is Improving Response to Emerging Health Threats | ASTHO

    25 min

  8. Jun 5

    1140: Inside the Growing Ebola Outbreak in Central Africa

    A rapidly expanding Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is raising alarm among global health officials. Meredith Allen, ASTHO’s vice president of health security, returns to break down what makes this outbreak especially concerning, including the identification of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, a type with no approved vaccine or treatment currently available. She explains why delayed detection, remote healthcare conditions, and limited medical countermeasures have contributed to the outbreak’s rapid growth. Prepared Together: Public Health Collaboration in Response to a Botulism Outbreak Ebola Outbreak: Current Situation | Ebola | CDCSubscribe | ASTHO

    8 min
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Your daily public health briefing with the latest news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO).

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