747: Emergency Stockpile Strategies, Workforce Recommendations

SUMMER JOHNSON: 

This is the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Wednesday, September 11, 2024. I'm Summer Johnson.

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

MAGGIE NILZ: 

States face a wide array of challenges with stockpiling.

JOHNSON: 

Vaccines, PPE, and other supplies must be available at a moment's notice, but keeping those items at the ready for months or years can get complicated. This is ASTHO's Maggie Nilz.

NILZ: 

So states have to face maintaining and distributing those supplies, dealing with potential exploration of materials, high cost of storage, maintenance, complex logistic needs in terms of distributing supplies during the crisis, and not really knowing, you know, when or how much of those supplies are going to be needed.

JOHNSON: 

Nilz writes a new ASTHO blog article about the challenges of managing emergency stockpiles. She also tells us how some states are addressing the concern.

NILZ: 

We have a couple of states that are looking at prioritizing state and US manufactured PPE to help sort of bolster their state economy, as well. We have a couple of states that are adding pieces, so adding, say insulin, adding new medication, adding baby formula to their stockpiles.

JOHNSON: 

September is National Preparedness Month. Click the link in the show notes to read how your colleagues are preparing for the next public health emergency.

ASTHO has published new recommendations for agencies still trying to stabilize their workforce. The recommendations are outlined in a new article appearing in this month's edition of the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice.

ALLISON BUDZINSKI: 

Our team at ASTHO is very passionate about assisting our public health partners in improving their recruitment and hiring process to address a shortage that so many are facing when it comes to serving our communities in the field of public health.

JOHNSON: 

Allison Budzinski is a senior analyst at ASTHO. She says the article outlines five key outcomes to help agencies recruit and hire for available positions. They include policy and process reviews, hiring to reflect the community, and consideration of the new hire experience. While it sounds like a lot, Budzinski advises agencies to ease into the process.

BUDZINSKI: 

I think to really pick one or two items from this technical package and start there. Don't feel overwhelmed and don't feel like you have to do everything. Start with something you feel like you can attain.

JOHNSON: 

Budzinski also recommends agencies take an honest look at anything that might be considered a legacy practice.

BUDZINSKI: 

And these are practices done just because they've always been done, and it's not formal policy that you recruit or hire someone in a specific way, but it's just been the legacy of your agency.

SUMMER JOHNSON: 

Read the journal article using the link in the show notes.

Also today, planning is a basic but critical ingredient for agency success. Although sometimes the desire to plan gets overwhelmed by the need to get things done. ASTHO convened a group of members to help identify ways to promote a planning culture. Find out what they learned in a new ASTHO blog article. There's a link in the show notes.

Finally, this morning, Congress is back in session. Stay informed about everything happening on Capitol Hill when you sign up for ASTHO’s legislative alert emails. Join the list using the link 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 Summer Johnson. You're listening to the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition.

Have a great day.