268: ACEs Legislative Scan

ROBERT JOHNSON:

This is Public Health Review Morning Edition for Thursday, September 22nd, 2022. I'm Robert Johnson.

Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.

JONATHAN PURTLE:

You know, I think an overarching theme in this report is how legislation can reduce caregiver and family stress and, in doing so, help prevent ACEs and buffer their consequences.

JOHNSON:

Dr. Jonathan Purtle is an associate professor at New York University's School of Global Public Health. He worked with ASTHO on the scan that outlined policy considerations to prevent adverse childhood experiences, also known as ACEs.

PURTLE:

What we did here was do a legislative scan looking for what states have done to address both risk and protective factors, to both prevent ACEs and reduce the consequences of ACEs after they occur. So, looking for what different states have done legislatively or propose legislatively to address these issues.

JOHSON:

Purtle says the report is meant to help public health leaders address legislative needs in their own states by providing examples of laws others have passed.

PURTLE:

And what I really like about this report is it's very concrete. So, it identifies specific policy approaches that have been proposed or used legislatively across different states to address these risk and protective factors. So, it identifies, you know, the name of the actual bill and the bill number, and also describes it.

But, you know, a reader could go and identify that actual bill very easily, maybe even use that legislative language, and that somebody in the health department could advocate to their state legislature for a similar bill to be introduced and potentially moved forward.

JOHNSON:

Purtle says the examples also can help answer tough questions in meetings with lawmakers.

PURTLE:

So, if a specific legislator says, you know, "This sounds like a wacky idea to prevent ACEs." This report could say, "Well, look, you know, your neighboring states have, you know, tried something similar. Here's a specific bill number if you wanna check it out and get really concrete."

JOHNSON:

The report is available online. You can read it using the link in the show notes.

September is National Preparedness Month. ASTHO continues its series of webinars with an event planned for this afternoon.

This is ASTHO's Lisa Peterson.

LISA PETERSON:

Preparedness Month is really important because it encourages and reminds individuals and communities to think about and, more importantly, take steps to be prepared for disasters and emergencies, you know, in their homes, their businesses, and their communities.

JOHNSON:

Peterson says today's webinar starts at 4:00 p.m. Eastern time.

PETERSON:

We'll highlight maternal and child health policy considerations that should be considered in a development of emergency preparedness response and recovery plans. Pregnant individuals, neonates, and infants, as we know, are valuable but sometimes vulnerable populations whose unique needs must be considered in emergency preparedness and response.

JOHNSON:

Registration is open to anyone looking to learn more. Peterson says people in many disciplines will benefit from the discussion.

PETERSON:

Anyone who is interested in understanding and developing tools to strengthen jurisdictional and national health security is encouraged to attend. So, that includes state and territorial health officials, preparedness directors, emergency management and homeland security directors and partners, and so many more.

But you know, really anyone in an organization that has a part in ensuring the health and wellbeing of their community is truly encouraged to attend.

JOHNSON:

You can sign up for the webinar using the link in the show notes.

Another summit, this one on pandemic preparedness, is planned for 2:00 p.m. Eastern time today.

Stephen Massey is director of the Health Action Alliance. He says the lineup includes comments from the White House and business leaders.

STEPHEN MASSEY:

We'll also hear from Dr. Kristina Box—she's the Indiana public health commissioner—along with Brian Castrucci of the de Beaumont Foundation, and Dr. Judy Monroe, the CEO and president of the CDC Foundation. And they're gonna share about tips and lessons learned to strengthen collaboration between business and public health.

So, it's gonna be a great session for business and public health leaders to hear from these great experts at the forefront of the response and to get practical advice about steps they can take to improve their preparedness right now.

JOHNSON:

You can RSVP for the event using the link in the show notes.

Finally today, ASTHO is planning the next Insight and Inspiration event. This one will help you find your WHY, the inspiration to stay motivated even when work becomes a grind. Learn more about the Simon Sinek Golden Circle on Wednesday, October 26th. There's a link to sign up in the show notes.

Also, remember to share the newscast on social media and follow us on your favorite podcast player.

That'll do it for today's newscast. We're back tomorrow morning with more ASTHO news and information.

I'm Robert Johnson. You're listening to Public Health Review Morning Edition. Have a great day.