708: Data Modernization Help, Map Tracks Infrastructure Bills

ROBERT JOHNSON:   

This is the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Wednesday, July 17, 2024. I'm Robert Johnson. Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. 

MASSIMO PACILLI:   

So, the focus at the Implementation Center Program is really to help public health agencies to better access and exchange data using national standards and models methods. 

JOHNSON:   

Four implementation centers will support public health agencies ready to engage in or improve their information exchanges as part of a national data modernization effort. The plan was announced last week by ASTHO, the National Network of Public Health Institutes, and the Public Health Accreditation Board. The CDC will invest $255 million to operate the centers in support of its Public Health Infrastructure Grant program. Massimo Pacilli is with the CDC.  

PACILLI:   

This report will be customized to meet the needs of each participating agencies, helping jurisdictions to improve data exchanges between public health, healthcare, laboratories, and others health partners.  

JOHNSON:   

Pacilli says participating agencies will receive financial assistance, help with capacity building, and technical guidance. 

PACILLI:   

Public health agencies will have an opportunity to express interest. We'll conduct readiness assessments of interest that public health agencies to identify jurisdictions with the foundational capacities and technical readiness to implement data exchanges. 

JOHNSON:   

He says there's also a plan to help those agencies that are interested but aren't ready just yet.  

PACILLI:   

Additional resources including technical playbooks, webinars, and communities of practice will be provided to other interested agencies to achieve that technical readiness to participate in these initiatives and future implementations that are cohorts. 

JOHNSON:   

ASTHO and its partners and NPHI and PHAB will oversee the centers. Three private partners, guidehouse, mathematica, and CRISP shared services are on board to serve as the implementation centers. ASTHO has a news release and website about the program. You can access both using the links in the show notes. 

Another new tool, this one and online interactive map, allows users to track the progress of legislation impacting public health infrastructure work. This is ASTHO's Lindsay Myers. 

LINDSEY MYERS:   

This map provides public health leaders, policymakers, and advocates an easy way to identify legislative solutions considered across the nation related to several common public health infrastructure issues. 

JOHNSON:   

Myers says the map is part of ASTHO's Public Health Legal Mapping Center, adding it'll save users time when doing research. 

MYERS:   

This map follows each bill across its lifespan providing public health leaders the specific bill text at any point in time. So policy makers, public health leaders, and advocates can use the map to identify legislative solutions considered across the nation to draw inspiration for actions in their jurisdiction. 

JOHNSON:   

Myers likes that the map allows users to monitor and update the progress of bills as they work their way through the process.  

MYERS:   

A great feature of the map is that you can see how bills change over time, so you can track the text of a particular bill and look at it throughout its lifespan from introduction to passage over the course of the legislative session. 

JOHNSON:   

Visit the Public Health Legal Mapping Center website using the link in the show notes. Also today learn how to better help people with disabilities during emergencies in a pair of webinars happening this month. O'Keyla Cooper has more. 

O'KEYLA COOPER:   

Join ASTHO for two emergency preparedness webinars this month. On Wednesday, July 24th at 3:30 p.m. EST, learn about emergency response strategies for individuals with disabilities featuring the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Then on Monday, July 29, at 1 p.m. EST, explore findings from a CDC funded project with health agencies across several states. Registration links are in the show notes.  

JOHNSON:   

Finally, this morning, explore how to lead teams through change in a new ASTHO blog article written by Joy Borjes, an associate commissioner with the Texas health and human services commission. There's a link to the article 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, Facebook and X.  

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.