Sign Up for Public Health Weekly Newsletter
Iyanrick John, vice president of External Affairs at ChangeLab Solutions, tells us about his organization partnering with the CDC to create a legal and policy assessment tool; Mike Fraser, ASTHO CEO, will be leaving the organization after more than...
Iyanrick John, vice president of External Affairs at ChangeLab Solutions, tells us about his organization partnering with the CDC to create a legal and policy assessment tool; Mike Fraser, ASTHO CEO, will be leaving the organization after more than seven years leading ASTHO; Amber Williams, ASTHO senior vice president for Leadership and Organizational Performance, says members from state and island jurisdictions are in Washington D.C for ASTHO’s spring meeting; and an ASTHO blog article outlines how the Alabama Department of Public Health is working to implement the state’s public health infrastructure grant workplan.
CDC Webpage: HIV Criminalization Legal and Policy Assessment Tool
ChangeLab Solutions Webpage: HIV Criminalization Legal & Policy Assessment Tool
ASTHO Blog Article: Alabama’s Positive Transformation Through Cross-Cutting PHIG Workplans
ROBERT JOHNSON:
This is the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Tuesday, February 27, 2024. I'm Robert Johnson. Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.
IYANRICK JOHN:
Today, nearly 75% of states and territories have laws that criminalize exposing another person to HIV.
JOHNSON:
Iyanrick John is the vice president of External Affairs at ChangeLab Solutions, a nonprofit that uses law and policy to advance health equity.
JOHN:
So many policymakers are not aware of these laws and how they unjustly expose people with HIV to stigma, discrimination, and criminal prosecution.
JOHNSON:
John's organization partnered with the CDC to create a Legal and Policy Assessment Tool, giving agencies a better understanding of what's happening in their jurisdictions.
JOHN:
The tool, which was released last year, is designed to help individuals and organizations, including state and local health departments, assess their state's laws, regulations, and executive orders related to HIV surveillance and prevention.
JOHNSON:
John says the tool guides a process that can lead to better HIV-related policies.
JOHN:
It provides key questions and considerations to help public health professionals, policymakers, and community advocates identify opportunities to update, modernize, or repeal harmful HIV-related laws and policies.
JOHNSON:
The tool is on the CDC website. There's a link to the page in the show notes.
This is Mike Fraser's last week as CEO at ASTHO. He's leaving after more than seven years leading the organization.
MICHAEL FRASER:
We've lived through a pandemic at ASTHO. We've experienced the latest version of our racial reconciliation in the world around us. We've seen epic record investments in public health infrastructure. We've seen significant administration changes, it's been a lot.
JOHNSON:
About the pandemic, Fraser says he'll never forget the sacrifice ASTHO members made while trying to guide their communities through the COVID outbreak.
FRASER:
You have to remember these were people who signed orders basically saying you can't visit relatives in nursing homes. Well, these people had relatives in nursing homes themselves, these health officers that literally in some cases moved their kids to live with other relatives because the demands of their job meant they would be on-call and at work seven days a week for a period of time.
JOHNSON:
Fraser reflects on the toll COVID had on people working in public health.
FRASER:
I'm just really privileged to be in that spot where people call my cell phone and ask for help. I never would change that for the world.
JOHNSON:
CEO Fraser begins a similar position at the College of American Pathologists in March. You can hear more of this conversation in a new episode of the Public Health Review Podcast coming this week everywhere you stream audio.
Also today, ASTHO's Spring Meeting is happening right now. Members from state and island jurisdictions are here in Washington, DC. They're making policy, meeting with federal agencies and heading to Capitol Hill to discuss funding and other issues. This is ASTHO Senior Vice President Amber Williams.
AMBER WILLIAMS:
Folks are going to take away some new or deeper relationships in their networks, some new energy and skills and leading through change. And in the case of the board, having made some really important decisions for ASTHO's future.
JOHNSON:
Remember, you too, can stay ahead of news in Congress with ASTHO's Legislative Alert emails. You can join the list by clicking the link in the show notes.
Finally this morning, several teams within the Alabama Department of Public Health are working together to implement the state's Public Health Infrastructure Grant work plan. Learn how they're doing it in a new ASTHO blog article. The link is in the show notes.
Before we go, a reminder also to follow this newscast on your podcast player and connect with ASTHO on social media. We're on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.
That'll do it for today. We're back tomorrow morning with more ASTHO news and information. I'm Robert Johnson. You're listening to the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition. Have a great day.
