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Dr. Steven Stack, MD, MBA, Commissioner for Public Health and Chief Medical Officer, Commonwealth of Kentucky, and ASTHO President, discusses a partnership with HBCU Kentucky State University to bolster the public health workforce; Julia Greenspan,...
Dr. Steven Stack, MD, MBA, Commissioner for Public Health and Chief Medical Officer, Commonwealth of Kentucky, and ASTHO President, discusses a partnership with HBCU Kentucky State University to bolster the public health workforce; Julia Greenspan, MPH, CHES, Director, Infectious Disease Infrastructure and Policy, ASTHO, lists the benefits of FDA approval of the first at-home syphilis test; a new ASTHO blog article looks at the Ohio Department of Health’s effort to improve public health data and emergency preparedness through partnerships; a new ASTHO toolkit is available on advancing contraceptive care to improve maternal health outcomes.
New Partnership with Kentucky State University Will Expand Pathways to Public Health Careers
FDA: Marketing Authorization Enables Increased Access to First Step of Syphilis Diagnosis
ASTHO Toolkit: Advancing Contraceptive Care to Improve Maternal Health Outcomes
SUMMER JOHNSON:
This is the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Tuesday, October 1, 2024.
I'm Summer Johnson.
Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.
STEVEN STACK:
So, we have worked to create pipeline programs that reach down all the way to high school through college, and then all the way through the post-graduate phase, to make sure that people are aware of opportunities for careers in public health.
JOHNSON:
The Kentucky Department of Public Health works to find the next generation of public health through a partnership with Kentucky State University. ASTHO President, Dr. Steven Stack is commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Public Health. He explains how it works.
STACK:
Part of it is identifying future employees in public health. Another part of it, though, is investing in our current workforce. And so with K State and in fact, nine other colleges and universities across the state, we have signed affiliation agreements so that our employees can take courses with the benefit of tuition assistance from the Department for Public Health, and can even pursue additional advanced degrees.
JOHNSON:
KSU is a historically black college and university.
STACK:
They've been a wonderful partner, and we look forward to the opportunities to further improve the diversity of our workforce, to make sure that we have a workforce that is representative of the people we serve, and to ensure that there's a wide variety of Kentuckians who have the opportunity to pursue public health careers.
JOHNSON:
This expansion is the latest move to bolster the workforce by the agency, the Kentucky Department of Public Health also has partnerships with 10 colleges and universities across the state.
STACK:
We're very grateful for a robust array of partners across our secondary education community, and the opportunity to work with them again to enhance the education and training of the current public health workforce, and to ensure a vibrant and robust pipeline program for the future.
JOHNSON:
You can use the link in the show notes to read the release about the expansion.
The FDA has approved the first over the counter syphilis test. ASTHO's Julia Greenspan says the decision could reduce stigma and increase awareness about syphilis.
JULIA GREENSPAN:
If they do find out at home that they're positive, they now have the knowledge that they can reach out to a provider for that follow up testing and treatment if it is needed.
JOHNSON:
Greenspan says there's still a lot of education that needs to happen surrounding syphilis, and not just for the public.
GREENSPAN:
We still need education for providers. A lot of providers don't realize that syphilis is still an issue now, and may feel uncomfortable taking a comprehensive sexual history, and so education, normalizing these conversations is the first step.
JOHNSON:
Greenspan adds that public health needs to meet underserved communities where they are for testing.
GREENSPAN:
And this can be offering testing in a variety of places, and we're talking about places like ERs and urgent cares, correctional facilities, syringe service providers, but also about getting people treatment and exploring. There are some really interesting models out there about state health departments that are getting treatment to people in the field or in their homes. So, meeting people where they are, especially in those underserved areas, can be kind of the last key to this puzzle.
JOHNSON:
The FDA announcement is now online. Use the link in the show notes to read it.
Also today, check out what our public health colleagues in Ohio are doing to improve health data and bolster emergency preparedness. ATSHO has a new blog article on the Ohio Department of Health using partnerships to accomplish both. Read it using the link in the show notes.
And ASTHO has new resources for maternal health, including a brand new toolkit on advancing contraceptive care to improve maternal health outcomes. Access the toolkit using the link in the show notes.
Finally, on tomorrow's newscast.
A.C. ROTHENBUECHER:
It includes tools, resources, checklists to guide governmental public health agencies to develop a workforce plan and go through the workforce planning process.
JOHNSON:
ASTHO's A.C. Rothenbuecher takes us through ASTHO's newest Workforce Planning Guide. Follow the show, and you'll have the episode on your mobile device at 5am tomorrow. Just tap the plus sign in the upper right corner of the screen you're looking at right now.
JOHNSON:
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.
