680: SC Overdose Dashboard, Disability Data Analysis Grants

JANSON SILVERS:   

This is the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Thursday, June 6, 2024. I'm Janson Silvers. Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. 

EDWARD SIMMER:   

Initially, I think the thought was that we would simply provide it to the hospitals. But when we heard from so many other partners, how valuable this would be, that's when we actually created the public facing dashboard so that anybody can access this information.  

SILVERS:   

Dr. Edward Simmer, director of the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, talks about a dashboard for statewide overdose data that was funded by a grant from the CDC. 

SIMMER:   

We have a dashboard, where we post this data almost real time and showing basically what we're finding in terms of the types of drugs that we're seeing in these samples from each of these different hospitals. 

SILVERS:   

Users can filter by drug type, county, or date to see which drugs are on the street and exactly where the drugs are across South Carolina. 

SIMMER:   

You know, and it helps hopefully all of these groups develop basically some plans for treatment for prevention, to identify are there new trends is there a new drug of abuse is becoming more common in a particular location. 

SILVERS:   

If a trend is spotted increasing in one area, Simmer says they can shift resources around or provide education to that specific community the dashboard can also help move forward legislation.  

SIMMER:   

For example, with xylazine, as we saw the uptake in xylazine, on this dashboard, that led us to go to the legislature and say we'd like some help with this because right now, of course, xyalzine is not scheduled on a federal level.  

SILVERS:   

Simmer says there is a bill currently in front of the South Carolina governor, that would make xylazine a schedule three drug in the state. He says that bill wouldn't exist without this data. You can find a link to South Carolina's drug overdose dashboard by using the link in the show notes. 

ASTHO and the Association of University Centers on Disability or AUCD, have announced the recipient of several grants that focus on disability data analysis. Here's Chevelle Glymph, the senior director of Public Health at AUCD. 

CHEVELLE GLYMPH:   

We're looking at organizations that dealt with disability inclusion, disability measurement, health equity, indoor emergency preparedness, and looking at how we could in some ways support that work that's being done. 

SILVERS:   

The three grant winners are the Massachusetts Department of Health, Utah State University, and Washington State University. Glymph says although disability disparities are widely known anecdotally, it takes data to make a difference. 

GLYMPH:   

And just because we know it, that's one thing but the numbers and the analysis behind it are very important and key to increasing funding and making increasing overall awareness. 

SILVERS:   

Ultimately, ASTHO and AUCD are working to change inequalities for good for those who live with disabilities, 

GLYMPH:   

Because we want to make sure that we're closing that gap of those inequalities that we know are there regarding disabilities, and certainly those that live with those disabilities, you know, long-term and also the providers and those that care for and their family members that support them. 

SILVERS:   

For more information on the program, you can click the link in the show notes. Plus over the next few weeks, we will also hear from the grant recipients, make sure to stay tuned to this newscast every morning.  

SILVERS:   

Also this morning. If you're looking to strengthen your maternal care supports, ASTHO has a resource you're going to want to check out. O'Keyla Cooper has more. 

O'KEYLA COOPER:   

A new ASTHO brief emphasizes the need for specialized care for high risk pregnant persons and infants. It recommends that states use perinatal regionalization and levels of maternal care to establish effective risk appropriate care systems. Strengthening these systems and raising awareness can improve health outcomes and reduce maternal complications. Download the brief by clicking the link in the show notes. 

SILVERS:   

Finally this morning ASTHO welcomes a new member. Dr. Jerome Larkin is the new director of the Rhode Island Department of Health. Read more about Larkin by 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 Janson Silvers, you're listening to the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition. Have a great day.