763: Reframing National Preparedness Month, ASTHO Management Vendor Showcase

JANSON SILVERS: 

This is the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Thursday, October 3, 2024.

I'm Janson Silvers.

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

JOHN ANDERTON: 

Until about three or four years ago, we started to realize that if you just focus on hurricanes, you're really only talking about six or seven states, and you're leaving a whole lot of room for other kinds of disasters.

SILVERS: 

Until recently, the CDC has focused efforts for National Preparedness Month primarily on hurricane preparedness. John Anderton, with the CDC, says, now they're widening their lens.

ANDERTON: 

Our theme for 2024, with that in mind, was prepare with the whole community integrating disability, inclusion, and accessibility. So, we're really focused on the special needs of disability communities encountering any sort of natural disaster.

SILVERS: 

Anderton says one objective for National Preparedness Month this year was to promote their own resources that public health could use in emergencies.

ANDERTON: 

So, CDC tries to promote our resources to state, tribal, local, and territorial health departments, other federal agencies, emergency readiness partners to both support and advocate for the needs of people with disabilities in public health emergencies.

SILVERS: 

Another objective was making sure the resources of communities were also promoted.

ANDERTON: 

And then on the flip side, highlight state and local initiatives that integrate disability, inclusion, and accessibility issues into their emergency management. So, we encourage folks to share those ideas and information about how they locally address disability, inclusion, and accessibility issues with CDC and other federal agencies.

SILVERS: 

You can find more information on National Preparedness Month by clicking the link in the show notes.

Later this month, ASTHO is hosting a virtual performance management vendor showcase. At this event, you will be able to see the latest capabilities of the performance management field, which ASTHO's Brian Lentes says can be a boon for public health departments.

BRIAN LENTES: 

By having a performance management system, not only is leadership able to focus on evidence-based decision making, but it encourages true communication across the full department, across the public, and across those partners that work with those health departments.

SILVERS: 

Lentes' says a performance management system allows you to assess what you've done well and what you hope to do better in the coming years.

BIAN LENTES: 

It's important for the health departments to know where they are, so where they're performing, and where they want to go. It shows the benchmark, shows current performance. And sort of sets that vision for the future.

SILVERS: 

If you're looking to establish a performance management system, Lentes says the Public Health Infrastructure Grant may be a good place to start.

LENTES: 

And then I also think that there's some opportunities for establishing or leveraging a system by accessing existing dollars. So, looking at the Public Health Infrastructure Grant work plan and alignment and really use of dollars to modernize public health and the system's establishment and use is a great opportunity.

SILVERS: 

Use the link in the show notes to sign up for ASTHO's Virtual Performance Management Vendor Showcase today. It happens on October 30th from 12:30 to 5pm Eastern Time.

Also today, you can now apply for ASTHO's latest cohort of the Diverse Executives Leading in Public Health Program. The DELPH program can help public health professionals advance their careers regardless of factors such as race, gender, identity, religion and more. Use the link in the show notes to apply today.

Finally, on tomorrow's newscast.

KARI WHITE: 

Through STRETCH we're working on a regional, multi-partner, coordinated community health needs assessment to drive our regional priorities and our work groups.

SILVERS: 

Kari White, from Northern Counties Healthcare in Vermont, tells us about the Vermont STRETCH collaborative. 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.

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.