What does it take to strengthen public health systems nationwide and why does flexible funding matter? In this PHIG Impact Report, we’re joined by SzePui Hughes, Senior Director of Public Health Workforce and Infrastructure at ASTHO to unpack the Public Health Infrastructure Grant (PHIG) and ASTHO’s role as a national partner. We’ll discuss how health departments are using PHIG funding to modernize data systems, expand community-based services, and build a more resilient workforce, while adapting to shifting priorities and pressures. SzePui shares key trends health leaders are raising, from peer learning and leadership development to long-term sustainability, and highlights real-world success stories from states and local agencies.
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00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:03,560
This is Public Health Review
Morning Edition for Tuesday,
2
00:00:03,560 --> 00:00:06,960
January 21st, 2026.
I'm John Sheehan for the
3
00:00:06,960 --> 00:00:09,680
Association of State and
Territorial Health Officials.
4
00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:13,160
Today, another edition of the
FIG Impact report.
5
00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:16,079
We're joined by Asto's Senior
Director of Public Health,
6
00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:19,360
Workforce and Infrastructure,
Sepoy Hughes, to unpack the
7
00:00:19,360 --> 00:00:22,560
Public Health Infrastructure
Grant, or FIG, which is entering
8
00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:25,960
its fourth year, and Asto's role
as a national partner.
9
00:00:26,640 --> 00:00:29,000
We'll discuss how health
departments are using FIG
10
00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:32,400
funding to modernize data
systems, expand community based
11
00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:35,680
services, and build a more
resilient workforce while
12
00:00:35,680 --> 00:00:38,240
adapting to shifting priorities
and pressures.
13
00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:42,280
ASTA serves as one of the three
national partners funded through
14
00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:45,720
the Public Health Infrastructure
Grant or FIG, and this means
15
00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:48,880
that we lead a broad range of
capacity building initiatives
16
00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:52,840
and activities to support all of
our members and other FIG
17
00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:56,360
supported health departments.
Collectively, we all have a goal
18
00:00:56,360 --> 00:00:59,240
to strengthen public health
infrastructure across the nation
19
00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:02,520
and the flexibility of FIG
allows our organizations to
20
00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:06,120
reach our intended health
outcomes by building on evidence
21
00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:09,160
based strategies as well as
innovating with new and
22
00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:11,880
promising practices.
Since the beginning of the
23
00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:14,920
grant, we at ASTO have made it
our goal to support health
24
00:01:14,920 --> 00:01:17,800
departments in achieving their
long term FIG goals.
25
00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:21,760
Agencies and jurisdictions may
have different emerging needs at
26
00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:25,040
any particular moment in time,
and our strong relationships
27
00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:27,360
with state and territorial
health officials and their
28
00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:30,280
leadership teams have allowed us
to effectively tailor our
29
00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:33,440
support and quickly adapt to
shifting priorities.
30
00:01:34,320 --> 00:01:36,920
Along with the other national
partners, National Network of
31
00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:39,640
Public Health Institutes and the
Public Health Accreditation
32
00:01:39,640 --> 00:01:43,320
Board, we also provide technical
assistance to health departments
33
00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:47,480
in states, territories and
freely associated states, as
34
00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:50,680
well as FIG funded big cities
and counties to help them
35
00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:53,560
strengthen their data
modernization workforce and
36
00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:56,960
foundational capabilities.
ASTO also has an extended
37
00:01:56,960 --> 00:02:00,600
network of trusted partners that
we rely on to quickly connect
38
00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:02,880
health department staff to
specialized subject matter
39
00:02:02,880 --> 00:02:05,800
experts.
And one other important role for
40
00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:08,880
us at ASTO is to lead the
strategy and development of
41
00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:12,480
communication activities to tell
the story of FIG across health
42
00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:15,360
departments and their partners.
With three years of FIG
43
00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:18,280
supported work under their
belts, FIG recipients now have
44
00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:22,040
so many successes, innovations,
and lessons learned to share
45
00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:24,600
with each other and other
important audiences.
46
00:02:24,920 --> 00:02:27,880
Our goal is to work with health
departments, national partners,
47
00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:32,040
and CDC to amplify these stories
of impact and showcase the value
48
00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:35,440
of this flexible funding and its
direct effect on organizations
49
00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:36,920
and the communities that they
serve.
50
00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:40,440
And I'll want to come back to
some of those successes in a
51
00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:43,600
minute.
But first, could you, could you
52
00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:47,800
let us know sort of some of the
priorities that you're hearing
53
00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:52,240
about from agencies sort of
around the country and what is
54
00:02:52,240 --> 00:02:56,000
what is Asto's role in helping
those helping turn those
55
00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:59,440
priorities into into into
action?
56
00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:03,640
Well, I think it's no surprise
to everyone that health
57
00:03:03,640 --> 00:03:06,080
department leaders are really
dealing with so many competing
58
00:03:06,080 --> 00:03:09,200
priorities these days,
compounded by the shifting
59
00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:11,000
economic and political
landscape.
60
00:03:11,480 --> 00:03:14,160
At the same time, there are
opportunities to consider new
61
00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:17,600
partnerships, streamline the way
that we work, and shape the
62
00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:20,560
future of public health.
We're hearing that health
63
00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:23,040
department staff continue to
place high value on the
64
00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:26,680
connection opportunities that
allow them to discuss challenges
65
00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:28,760
and learn from their peers and
similar roles.
66
00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:32,200
Over the years, ASTO has built a
strong framework for leadership
67
00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:35,480
development through peer
connection offering such as our
68
00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:38,480
Executive Leadership Forum,
Bring together senior deputies,
69
00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:42,160
chief financial officers,
workforce directors, data
70
00:03:42,160 --> 00:03:46,720
modernization leads, legislative
liaisons, and so many more to
71
00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:49,520
really strategize and consider
additional perspectives for
72
00:03:49,520 --> 00:03:52,960
decision making.
ASTO also supports peer networks
73
00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:56,560
and learning communities for key
FIG staff, including principal
74
00:03:56,560 --> 00:03:59,680
investigators, workforce
directors, grants managers, and
75
00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:03,520
communications leads to gather
ideas, resources, and other
76
00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:05,440
perspectives to inform their
work.
77
00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:09,200
Another thing that's top of mind
for many FIG recipients is the
78
00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:11,880
need to address sustainability
at their organization.
79
00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:15,080
This could mean sustainability
in different ways, whether it's
80
00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:18,760
securing future funding to
maintain operations, ensuring
81
00:04:18,760 --> 00:04:22,600
continuity of services with
shifting priorities, maintaining
82
00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:24,920
the public health workforce,
just to name a few.
83
00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:28,280
ASTO has developed a
sustainability framework that
84
00:04:28,280 --> 00:04:31,240
can inform planning activities
across all health department
85
00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:33,760
areas.
We're weaving these concepts
86
00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:36,560
into our technical assistance
efforts as well as our capacity
87
00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:39,360
building resources and really
look forward to highlighting
88
00:04:39,360 --> 00:04:43,280
this work in the coming year.
And could could you highlight
89
00:04:43,280 --> 00:04:46,560
some successes and some uses of
the funds that have really had
90
00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:49,280
impact?
Yes, given all of the tremendous
91
00:04:49,280 --> 00:04:51,560
work that health departments
have done in the past three
92
00:04:51,560 --> 00:04:54,600
years, there are a lot of
stories of progress and impact
93
00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:58,000
to the local community.
ASTO currently hosts over 150
94
00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:01,680
success stories in a variety of
formats on our FIG Partners
95
00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:04,440
website and we know that there
are many more stories that
96
00:05:04,440 --> 00:05:06,560
recipients and partners are
planning to share.
97
00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:09,560
One example, the Illinois
Department of Public Health
98
00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:12,800
leveraged its FIG funding to
expand its cloud based data
99
00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:15,440
infrastructure.
These improvements allowed
100
00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:19,000
Illinois to develop tools to
serve the community, including a
101
00:05:19,000 --> 00:05:22,160
dashboard to support public
health teens in monitoring and
102
00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:25,200
responding to heat wave risks.
The health department also
103
00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:28,400
launched A measles outbreak
dashboard using machine learning
104
00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:31,920
to help anticipate and monitor
potential outbreak patterns in
105
00:05:31,920 --> 00:05:36,720
real time for Illinois schools.
Another example, in Wake County,
106
00:05:36,720 --> 00:05:39,560
North Carolina, the health
department has successfully used
107
00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:42,960
its FIG funds to expand
community based services and
108
00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:46,000
meet people where they are.
They set up a mobile unit to
109
00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:49,000
deliver essential health
services, including chronic
110
00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:51,800
disease screening and
vaccinations, to communities
111
00:05:51,800 --> 00:05:54,800
that typically experience
barriers to access to care such
112
00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:58,400
as transportation or cost.
Wake County also empowered
113
00:05:58,400 --> 00:06:01,680
trusted local partners such as
grassroots and faith-based
114
00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:05,080
organizations and Barber shops
to reach residents more
115
00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:07,480
effectively.
These are just a couple of
116
00:06:07,480 --> 00:06:10,680
examples of the important and
creative progress achieved by
117
00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:13,520
our dedicated public health
colleagues, and I encourage
118
00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:15,640
everyone to view the collection
of stories on
119
00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:19,040
phinfrastructure.org.
That's really a pretty
120
00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:23,800
wide-ranging set of examples,
you know, going from cloud
121
00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:27,800
computing to to mobile services,
that's as you say that's
122
00:06:27,800 --> 00:06:30,920
indicative of the flexible
funding nature of it.
123
00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:33,160
It's and that's really
impressive that so many
124
00:06:33,160 --> 00:06:35,400
initiatives were were sparked by
it.
125
00:06:37,080 --> 00:06:42,040
Are there are there specific
priorities or or initiatives or
126
00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:45,840
directions that you see ASTO
kind of focusing on going into
127
00:06:45,840 --> 00:06:48,320
year 4?
Well, ASTO and the national
128
00:06:48,320 --> 00:06:51,720
partners will continue to
support health departments to
129
00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:54,320
achieve their goals in building
public health infrastructure.
130
00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:57,680
Our technical assistance and
capacity building resources are
131
00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:00,080
really designed to help public
health leaders strengthen their
132
00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:03,720
organization's culture, systems,
and operations for the life of
133
00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:06,920
FIG and beyond.
So moving forward in year 4 of
134
00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:10,080
this grant, ASTO is really
excited to help tell the story
135
00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:13,080
of public health agencies and
how their resilience and
136
00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:16,080
resourcefulness are really
essential to helping communities
137
00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:18,400
thrive.
Telling the story of FIG is
138
00:07:18,400 --> 00:07:20,680
really about telling the story
of how health departments are
139
00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:23,800
moving the needle towards having
an infrastructure that leads to
140
00:07:23,800 --> 00:07:27,120
improving health outcomes,
including things like increasing
141
00:07:27,120 --> 00:07:31,080
efficiencies to deliver services
to their local communities and
142
00:07:31,080 --> 00:07:33,160
leveraging partnerships,
including those in other
143
00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:36,400
sectors, to accelerate progress
and improve outcomes.
144
00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:39,080
The past three years of FIG has
reinforced what we have
145
00:07:39,080 --> 00:07:41,920
understood to be an essential
public health message for all
146
00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:44,840
audiences.
Investing in flexible funding to
147
00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:47,400
build public health
infrastructure will ultimately
148
00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:50,600
protect and save lives by
ensuring that people, structures
149
00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:54,200
and systems are in place to
quickly respond during times of
150
00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:57,800
emergency and to continue
providing essential services to
151
00:07:57,800 --> 00:07:59,560
improve the health of all
communities.
152
00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:03,600
Sepoy Hughes, thanks so much.
Thank you for the opportunity,
153
00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:06,520
John.
Sepoy Hughes is senior director
154
00:08:06,520 --> 00:08:09,280
of public health, workforce and
infrastructure at ASTO.
155
00:08:10,240 --> 00:08:12,800
This has been another edition of
the FIG Impact Report.
156
00:08:12,920 --> 00:08:15,720
I'm John Sheehan with Public
Health Review, Morning Edition
157
00:08:15,840 --> 00:08:18,280
from the Association of State
and Territorial Health
158
00:08:18,280 --> 00:08:18,920
Officials.
00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:03,560
This is Public Health Review
Morning Edition for Tuesday,
2
00:00:03,560 --> 00:00:06,960
January 21st, 2026.
I'm John Sheehan for the
3
00:00:06,960 --> 00:00:09,680
Association of State and
Territorial Health Officials.
4
00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:13,160
Today, another edition of the
FIG Impact report.
5
00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:16,079
We're joined by Asto's Senior
Director of Public Health,
6
00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:19,360
Workforce and Infrastructure,
Sepoy Hughes, to unpack the
7
00:00:19,360 --> 00:00:22,560
Public Health Infrastructure
Grant, or FIG, which is entering
8
00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:25,960
its fourth year, and Asto's role
as a national partner.
9
00:00:26,640 --> 00:00:29,000
We'll discuss how health
departments are using FIG
10
00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:32,400
funding to modernize data
systems, expand community based
11
00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:35,680
services, and build a more
resilient workforce while
12
00:00:35,680 --> 00:00:38,240
adapting to shifting priorities
and pressures.
13
00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:42,280
ASTA serves as one of the three
national partners funded through
14
00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:45,720
the Public Health Infrastructure
Grant or FIG, and this means
15
00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:48,880
that we lead a broad range of
capacity building initiatives
16
00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:52,840
and activities to support all of
our members and other FIG
17
00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:56,360
supported health departments.
Collectively, we all have a goal
18
00:00:56,360 --> 00:00:59,240
to strengthen public health
infrastructure across the nation
19
00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:02,520
and the flexibility of FIG
allows our organizations to
20
00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:06,120
reach our intended health
outcomes by building on evidence
21
00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:09,160
based strategies as well as
innovating with new and
22
00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:11,880
promising practices.
Since the beginning of the
23
00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:14,920
grant, we at ASTO have made it
our goal to support health
24
00:01:14,920 --> 00:01:17,800
departments in achieving their
long term FIG goals.
25
00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:21,760
Agencies and jurisdictions may
have different emerging needs at
26
00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:25,040
any particular moment in time,
and our strong relationships
27
00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:27,360
with state and territorial
health officials and their
28
00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:30,280
leadership teams have allowed us
to effectively tailor our
29
00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:33,440
support and quickly adapt to
shifting priorities.
30
00:01:34,320 --> 00:01:36,920
Along with the other national
partners, National Network of
31
00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:39,640
Public Health Institutes and the
Public Health Accreditation
32
00:01:39,640 --> 00:01:43,320
Board, we also provide technical
assistance to health departments
33
00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:47,480
in states, territories and
freely associated states, as
34
00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:50,680
well as FIG funded big cities
and counties to help them
35
00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:53,560
strengthen their data
modernization workforce and
36
00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:56,960
foundational capabilities.
ASTO also has an extended
37
00:01:56,960 --> 00:02:00,600
network of trusted partners that
we rely on to quickly connect
38
00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:02,880
health department staff to
specialized subject matter
39
00:02:02,880 --> 00:02:05,800
experts.
And one other important role for
40
00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:08,880
us at ASTO is to lead the
strategy and development of
41
00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:12,480
communication activities to tell
the story of FIG across health
42
00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:15,360
departments and their partners.
With three years of FIG
43
00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:18,280
supported work under their
belts, FIG recipients now have
44
00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:22,040
so many successes, innovations,
and lessons learned to share
45
00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:24,600
with each other and other
important audiences.
46
00:02:24,920 --> 00:02:27,880
Our goal is to work with health
departments, national partners,
47
00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:32,040
and CDC to amplify these stories
of impact and showcase the value
48
00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:35,440
of this flexible funding and its
direct effect on organizations
49
00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:36,920
and the communities that they
serve.
50
00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:40,440
And I'll want to come back to
some of those successes in a
51
00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:43,600
minute.
But first, could you, could you
52
00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:47,800
let us know sort of some of the
priorities that you're hearing
53
00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:52,240
about from agencies sort of
around the country and what is
54
00:02:52,240 --> 00:02:56,000
what is Asto's role in helping
those helping turn those
55
00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:59,440
priorities into into into
action?
56
00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:03,640
Well, I think it's no surprise
to everyone that health
57
00:03:03,640 --> 00:03:06,080
department leaders are really
dealing with so many competing
58
00:03:06,080 --> 00:03:09,200
priorities these days,
compounded by the shifting
59
00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:11,000
economic and political
landscape.
60
00:03:11,480 --> 00:03:14,160
At the same time, there are
opportunities to consider new
61
00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:17,600
partnerships, streamline the way
that we work, and shape the
62
00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:20,560
future of public health.
We're hearing that health
63
00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:23,040
department staff continue to
place high value on the
64
00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:26,680
connection opportunities that
allow them to discuss challenges
65
00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:28,760
and learn from their peers and
similar roles.
66
00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:32,200
Over the years, ASTO has built a
strong framework for leadership
67
00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:35,480
development through peer
connection offering such as our
68
00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:38,480
Executive Leadership Forum,
Bring together senior deputies,
69
00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:42,160
chief financial officers,
workforce directors, data
70
00:03:42,160 --> 00:03:46,720
modernization leads, legislative
liaisons, and so many more to
71
00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:49,520
really strategize and consider
additional perspectives for
72
00:03:49,520 --> 00:03:52,960
decision making.
ASTO also supports peer networks
73
00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:56,560
and learning communities for key
FIG staff, including principal
74
00:03:56,560 --> 00:03:59,680
investigators, workforce
directors, grants managers, and
75
00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:03,520
communications leads to gather
ideas, resources, and other
76
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perspectives to inform their
work.
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00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:09,200
Another thing that's top of mind
for many FIG recipients is the
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need to address sustainability
at their organization.
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This could mean sustainability
in different ways, whether it's
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securing future funding to
maintain operations, ensuring
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continuity of services with
shifting priorities, maintaining
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the public health workforce,
just to name a few.
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ASTO has developed a
sustainability framework that
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can inform planning activities
across all health department
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areas.
We're weaving these concepts
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into our technical assistance
efforts as well as our capacity
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building resources and really
look forward to highlighting
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this work in the coming year.
And could could you highlight
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some successes and some uses of
the funds that have really had
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impact?
Yes, given all of the tremendous
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work that health departments
have done in the past three
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years, there are a lot of
stories of progress and impact
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to the local community.
ASTO currently hosts over 150
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success stories in a variety of
formats on our FIG Partners
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website and we know that there
are many more stories that
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recipients and partners are
planning to share.
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One example, the Illinois
Department of Public Health
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00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:12,800
leveraged its FIG funding to
expand its cloud based data
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infrastructure.
These improvements allowed
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Illinois to develop tools to
serve the community, including a
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dashboard to support public
health teens in monitoring and
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responding to heat wave risks.
The health department also
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launched A measles outbreak
dashboard using machine learning
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to help anticipate and monitor
potential outbreak patterns in
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real time for Illinois schools.
Another example, in Wake County,
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North Carolina, the health
department has successfully used
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00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:42,960
its FIG funds to expand
community based services and
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00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:46,000
meet people where they are.
They set up a mobile unit to
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00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:49,000
deliver essential health
services, including chronic
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disease screening and
vaccinations, to communities
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that typically experience
barriers to access to care such
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as transportation or cost.
Wake County also empowered
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00:05:58,400 --> 00:06:01,680
trusted local partners such as
grassroots and faith-based
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organizations and Barber shops
to reach residents more
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effectively.
These are just a couple of
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examples of the important and
creative progress achieved by
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our dedicated public health
colleagues, and I encourage
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everyone to view the collection
of stories on
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phinfrastructure.org.
That's really a pretty
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00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:23,800
wide-ranging set of examples,
you know, going from cloud
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00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:27,800
computing to to mobile services,
that's as you say that's
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00:06:27,800 --> 00:06:30,920
indicative of the flexible
funding nature of it.
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00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:33,160
It's and that's really
impressive that so many
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initiatives were were sparked by
it.
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Are there are there specific
priorities or or initiatives or
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00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:45,840
directions that you see ASTO
kind of focusing on going into
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year 4?
Well, ASTO and the national
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partners will continue to
support health departments to
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00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:54,320
achieve their goals in building
public health infrastructure.
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00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:57,680
Our technical assistance and
capacity building resources are
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00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:00,080
really designed to help public
health leaders strengthen their
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00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:03,720
organization's culture, systems,
and operations for the life of
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00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:06,920
FIG and beyond.
So moving forward in year 4 of
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00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:10,080
this grant, ASTO is really
excited to help tell the story
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00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:13,080
of public health agencies and
how their resilience and
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00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:16,080
resourcefulness are really
essential to helping communities
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thrive.
Telling the story of FIG is
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00:07:18,400 --> 00:07:20,680
really about telling the story
of how health departments are
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00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:23,800
moving the needle towards having
an infrastructure that leads to
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00:07:23,800 --> 00:07:27,120
improving health outcomes,
including things like increasing
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00:07:27,120 --> 00:07:31,080
efficiencies to deliver services
to their local communities and
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00:07:31,080 --> 00:07:33,160
leveraging partnerships,
including those in other
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00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:36,400
sectors, to accelerate progress
and improve outcomes.
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00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:39,080
The past three years of FIG has
reinforced what we have
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00:07:39,080 --> 00:07:41,920
understood to be an essential
public health message for all
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00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:44,840
audiences.
Investing in flexible funding to
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00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:47,400
build public health
infrastructure will ultimately
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00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:50,600
protect and save lives by
ensuring that people, structures
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00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:54,200
and systems are in place to
quickly respond during times of
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00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:57,800
emergency and to continue
providing essential services to
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improve the health of all
communities.
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00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:03,600
Sepoy Hughes, thanks so much.
Thank you for the opportunity,
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00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:06,520
John.
Sepoy Hughes is senior director
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00:08:06,520 --> 00:08:09,280
of public health, workforce and
infrastructure at ASTO.
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00:08:10,240 --> 00:08:12,800
This has been another edition of
the FIG Impact Report.
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00:08:12,920 --> 00:08:15,720
I'm John Sheehan with Public
Health Review, Morning Edition
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00:08:15,840 --> 00:08:18,280
from the Association of State
and Territorial Health
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00:08:18,280 --> 00:08:18,920
Officials.