74: The White House Celebrates Public Health

ROBERT JOHNSON:

This is Public Health Review Morning Edition for Tuesday, November 30th, 2021. I'm Robert Johnson.

Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.

1. NIRAV SHAH:

Today, I'd like to join my colleagues across the country in thanking you, each and every one of you, for your extraordinary efforts during this time—the long nights, the early mornings, at each point in the pandemic.

JOHNSON:

ASTHO President Dr. Nirav Shah speaking about the public health workforce last week during an appreciation event hosted by the White House.

He was joined by Dr. Anne Zink, ASTHO's president elect.

1. ANNE ZINK:

Honestly, they have been the most inspiring, incredible workforce I have ever had the privilege to

work with in my entire life.

But unfortunately, many are burning out and leaving the field; and the public health workforce of the future needs to look different to reflect the needs of our country and respond to the rapidly escalating challenges we'll continue to face and our rapidly changing world.

JOHNSON:

Dr. Tomás Aragón, director of the California Department of Public Health, noted the public's disconnect with the people trying to keep them safe during the pandemic.

1. TOMÁS ARAGÓN:

People don't understand how public health works; and so, people not only are overworked, but public health officials have to make difficult decisions.

People don't understand how hard it is for us to evaluate the trade-offs. And oftentimes when you make a decision that has trade offs—right, you go right down the middle—you get attacked by all sides. And so, it becomes very stressful. And so, the public health practitioners, the officials, end up being targets of people's frustrations and anger.

JOHNSON:

Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt leads the District of Columbia Department of Health. She says public health benefits when funding is flexible and disease-agnostic.

1. LAQUANDRA NESBITT:

And it gives each state health officer and local public health officer the opportunity to implement evidence-based and promising practices that are responsive to what the data shows and what the science is telling them is going to be best for their community.

JOHNSON:

Dr. Aragón told the audience that public health workers need the same support as others trying to manage the stress caused by COVID-19.

ARAGÓN:

I think public health should really, really embrace mental health prevention. I think we should lead the nation in promoting healing not just the heart of the public health workforce, but really society in general.

JOHNSON:

Dr. Zink, chief medical officer for the state of Alaska, offered this.

ZINK:

I want to emphasize that I don't think burnout is a failure of a person, but it's a failure of the system. And I really want our public health workforce to hear that your frustration and burnout is not a failure of you. You've done an amazing job throughout this, and we need to make our systems better so that we don't burn out the people working in it.

JOHNSON:

The White House conversation helped close out ASTHO's month-long celebration of public health workers. In his final comment, here's Dr. Shah, director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

SHAH:

I leave you today with one ask—to take pride in the work you do and fly the public health flag as high as possible. Your work does undoubtedly and unquestionably save lives.

JOHNSON:

Thinking about the money spent to respond to the pandemic, public health leaders are worried the investments will dry up once the virus is under control.

Dr. Steven Stack, commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Public Health, is concerned vulnerable populations would suffer most.

1. STEVEN STACK:

It's tough because the people that we serve in our clinic settings and other areas are some of the most vulnerable in society. And they're not often set up well to advocate, to persuade others to support this far.

So, it is difficult. It feels like a bit of an uphill battle. But I think COVID has made very clear that there's a crying need to give more attention to public health.

JOHNSON:

Dr. Stack discusses public health funding in a new episode of the Public Health Review podcast, available tomorrow everywhere you stream audio.

Finally this morning, a new ASTHO brief explains how states and territories have used telehealth to respond to the pandemic. It includes many specific examples of program and policy initiatives that could spark an idea to benefit the communities that you serve.

There's a link to the brief in the show notes.

That'll do it for today's report.

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Be sure to join us again tomorrow morning for more ASTHO news and information.

I'm Robert Johnson. You're listening to Public Health Review Morning Edition. Have a great day.