663: Michigan Wildfire Lessons, Empowering Community Health Workers

SUMMER JOHNSON: 

This is the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Monday, May 13, 2024. I'm Summer Johnson. Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.

AARON FERGUSON: 

So, last year was the first year that Michigan had to issue a statewide air quality alert for fine particulate matter PM 2.5 from wildfire smoke.

JOHNSON: 

When Michigan dealt with unprecedented air quality in the state, Aaron Ferguson with Michigan's Division of Environmental Health, says they asked for advice from those more experienced with the issue.

FERGUSON: 

We look to our colleagues in the western states that have been dealing with wildfire smoke issues for decades, really. And looking at the types of messaging that they put out. What are the key high line messages? How are they disseminating that information?

JOHNSON: 

Disseminating information was paramount as the issue went on. The Department issued press releases and social media posts, but Ferguson says his team still wondered if they had reached every corner.

FERGUSON: 

Are we getting the information into the hands of those that need it most? Folks that are pregnant, maybe are unhoused or don't have access to sort of clean air indoor spaces, schools, camps because this was during the summer so you know, summer camps were starting and there were recreational leagues. Is the information getting into the hands of those people?

JOHNSON: 

With the goal of better preparedness. The next time something like this happens. Ferguson says his department has taken the lessons learned on the road, sharing important topics with stakeholders across Michigan.

FERGUSON: 

Presentations to leadership across MDHHS and presentations to the emergency managers and emergency preparedness coordinator groups. Just to try to share the experiences that we had, the new resources that we developed, and to sort of build that relationship going forward so we could more easily communicate.

JOHNSON: 

You can find resources that Michigan developed using the link in the show notes.

Community health workers can play a key role in advancing health equity. But Karla Granado, a senior operations manager with the Travis County Hospital District and a DELPH scholar, says they have to be empowered to do so.

KARLA GRANADO: 

So, a thorough curriculum or onboarding program that addresses knowledge and skill-based learning is really crucial for setting up community health workers for success. So topics such as motivational interviewing, advocacy, skills, and health literacy are particularly important.

JOHNSON: 

Grenado adds that community health workers need a seat at the table to be effective,

GRANADO: 

I would ensure that community health workers are considered a part of the healthcare team. To provide whole person-centered care, you need to address the social needs of your patients and community health workers are critical to supporting clients and navigating those complex healthcare and social care systems.

JOHNSON: 

To make these things a reality, we have to properly fund community health workers. And to do that Grenada says we need to show exactly how this model pays off.

GRANADO: 

The more that we can do to gather data that shows return on investment and improved health outcomes, the stronger case that can be made to advocate for reimbursement for the community health worker model at that payer level.

JOHNSON: 

You can read Granada's blog article on empowering community health workers using the link in the show notes.

Later this week, ASTHO will host the final webinar of a four-part learning series on disease forecasting. O'Keyla Cooper has more.

O'KEYLA COOPER: 

Join ASTHO on Thursday, May 16, from four to five p.m. Eastern Time for the final session of a disease forecasting learning four-part series focusing on communicating about disease forecasting. This session is tailored to help state and territorial public health staff enhance their communication with the public, and policymakers register online by clicking the link in the show notes.

JOHNSON: 

Finally, this morning, HHS has posted its 2024 national strategy for suicide prevention. The plan was a joint effort of the CDC and SAMHCDCSA. And the website says it's a quote, "Bold new 10-year comprehensive whole of society approach to suicide prevention." You can find out more and read the document using the link in the show notes.

That'll do it for today. We're back tomorrow morning with more ASTHO news and information. I'm Summer Johnson. You're listening to the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition Have a great day.