432: An Equity Champion, Leaders Wanted

ROBERT JOHNSON: 

This is Public Health Review Morning Edition for Thursday, June 1, 2023. I'm Robert Johnson.

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

PALINA LOUANGKETH: 

So my family as former refugees from a war-torn country in Southeast Asia, in Laos, has affected me immensely. It really has elevated my senses and awareness of the need to exercise actively empathy and compassion for humanity.

JOHNSON: 

Dr. Paulina Louangketh is chief of Idaho's Bureau of Equity and Strategic Partnerships. She tells us how her move to the United States in 1981 as a four-year-old, escaping war at home, impacts her work today in public health.

LOUANGKETH: 

My family's background as former refugees and our journey as refugees, two and a half years of uncertainty into the U.S., has truly shaped who I am today because I have gained a deeper appreciation for people who have gone through suffering, people who have endured trials and tribulations, people who have transitioned out of that--the hardships of life--and remained resilient. And where they are now, and who they become, and how they influence the people around them and society is something special that we can learn from and hopefully package that to do good for the communities that we're in.

JOHNSON: 

Louangketh worked during the pandemic to plan and open the state's equity office, now celebrating its first anniversary.

LOUANGKETH: 

The opportunity to make a big impact, and that is impact on how we promote, protect, and improve the quality of health for the populations that we're part of. And me being in Idaho, it is truly a special place to be. To look at the uniqueness and diversity that makes up Idaho and come up with creative solutions or opportunities that really help to remedy the healthcare issues that Idahoans are facing across the three geographical areas of Idaho--the urban areas, the remote areas, and the rural areas.

JOHNSON: 

Louangketh says she's ready to lend her energy and the influence of the office to support everyone working toward equity in Idaho.

LOUANGKETH: 

What has inspired me to be in public health is really to be part of a network of healthcare and public health professionals who are doing amazing things to really impact a large population, so we're talking about transformational change, systematic change. And through the equity lens, we're looking at that differently because society and the cultures have evolved over time.

JOHNSON: 

A new leadership program for public health and community professionals will be officially announced next week. The PHEARLESS initiative will teach students how to engage in regenerative leadership.

Dr. Marissa Levine is director of the Center for Leadership in Public Health Practice at the University of South Florida.

MARISSA LEVINE: 

We really need to think differently about how we approach leadership in public health and what are we going to do about assuring more equitable outcomes in health and communities.

JOHNSON: 

The PHEARLESS program is a one-year experiential learning opportunity with a goal to develop leaders who will serve the wellbeing of everyone in their jurisdictions.

LEVINE: 

And what's really exciting about it is we're taking an approach called regenerative leadership--which is much more about thinking about ourselves, our communities as living systems and not machines--and figuring out how we can better work together in really complex contexts, like what we just went through with COVID, and figure out how to get to a shared vision of a community where people all have the opportunity to thrive.

JOHNSON: 

Levine says the initial cohort will include public health professionals and their counterparts in the community.

LEVINE: 

So it's not just a small community or a local health department. It could be that, but it could also be a regional jurisdiction. It could be a county, it could even be a state team of four people. And we're really excited about having those four people able to work together over the course of this one-year effort.

JOHNSON: 

The application portal opens next Tuesday, June 6. The program begins in September. You can get more information about the PHEARLESS initiative using the link in the show notes.

Also today, the force behind every ASTHO leadership and training event is the author of a new blog article about the pillars of public health leadership. Avia Mason is vice president of leadership and organizational performance. She identifies three key considerations. You can read more about them using the link in the show notes.

Finally this morning, learn why Louisiana has decided not to certify community health workers in a new ASTHO blog article now online. While many states have chosen certification, the Pelican State opted out after hearing from the workers and their employers. Read the article using the link in the show notes.

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.