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Dr. Karen Smith, former director of the California Department of Public Health, says day three of National Public Health Week focuses on climate change and the impact of environmental concerns on communities; Karl Ensign, vice president of...
Dr. Karen Smith, former director of the California Department of Public Health, says day three of National Public Health Week focuses on climate change and the impact of environmental concerns on communities; Karl Ensign, vice president of Territorial Support, tells us ASTHO is celebrating a big funding win for three island territories aligned with the U.S. as freely associated states; and an ASTHO brief discusses how foodborne illness is preventable yet costly.
ASTHO Webpage: Climate and Health
National Public Health Week Webpage
ASTHO Brief: Evidence-Based Approaches to Promoting Health Equity in Retail Food Safety
ROBERT JOHNSON:
This is the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Wednesday, April 3, 2024. I'm Robert Johnson. Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.
KAREN SMITH:
Climate change may well be one of the most significant health challenges that we face, not just in the U.S. but around the world, as we go forward.
JOHNSON:
It's day three of National Public Health Week. Today, the focus is on climate change and the impact of environmental concerns like wildfires, floods, and heat. ASTHO Alum Dr. Karen Smith is the former director of the California Department of Public Health.
SMITH:
Public health has to not only understand what's likely to happen, but make some forecasts on what are the tools we're going to need and in particular, what different tools we're really good at educating people, we're very good communicators, we have partnerships and communities. What more are we going to need?
JOHNSON:
Smith says agencies can use many of the tools they deployed in response to COVID-19, including partnerships.
SMITH:
In addition to leveraging these partnerships, public health can provide those partners and the community itself with science based accurate information about current and most importantly, future health threats, and how we might potentially mitigate those threats, and really important to the community who is at greatest risk.
JOHNSON:
Smith adds it's good that climate change is called out on the National Public Health Week agenda.
SMITH:
Public health professionals are very busy all day everyday, bringing climate change to the floor makes sure that, that comes into our consciousness as we go about our usual tasks so that we're thinking about it. We're prioritizing it. We're figuring out what I in my organization and you and your organization can do to try to be better prepared.
JOHNSON:
Our coverage of National Public Health Week continues tomorrow. We discuss new tools and innovations with Illinois Public Health Director and ASTHO member, Dr. Sameer Vohra, read more about ASTHO’s work on climate change by clicking the link in the show notes. ASTHO celebrates a win on Capitol Hill landing key policy changes and more funding for three island nations aligned with the U.S. as freely associated states. Karl Ensign is ASTHO's vice president of islands support.
KARL ENSIGN:
We asked for full appropriation and we got that. We asked for these needed supportive services that day be reinstated eligibility and Public Health Service Corps that these be reinstated, and they were.
JOHNSON:
Ensign says Island officials traveled 1000s of miles to visit Congress in late February so they could make the case in person.
ENSIGN:
We had 20 health officials and their leadership staff in Washington just a month ago, educating members of Congress in the administration the importance of these provisions. Again, there was bipartisan support, but it was far from a done deal. And now a month later, we've been successful in ways that we all have hoped for, but it thankfully came true.
JOHNSON:
He says the progress made on behalf of people in the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau cannot be understated.
ENSIGN:
It's just you don't get these wins often. And when you do you really need to celebrate them and especially in this era, having a bipartisan win is just tremendous.
JOHNSON:
Ensign says the next step is implementation. You can read more using the links in the show notes.
Also today, retail food establishments that implement evidence based approaches can improve food safety. O'Keyla Cooper has that story.
O'KEYLA COOPER:
A new ASTHO brief discusses how foodborne illness is preventable yet costly, and how public health agencies are responsible for reducing risk through education and inspection of food establishments. To promote health equity, resources should be available in a variety of languages and literacy levels to ensure understanding for all individuals. You can download a PDF version of this ASTHO brief by clicking the link in the show notes.
JOHNSON:
Finally this morning, be the first to know what's happening in Congress. When you sign up for ASTHO's Legislative Alert emails. There's a link to join the list 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.
