765: Wastewater Testing, PHIG Data Modernization Funding

JANSON SILVERS: 

This is the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Monday, October 7, 2024.

I'm Janson Silvers.

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

ZACH MOORE: 

People really like having that easy to understand metric of whether virus levels are high or low in their community, whether they're going up or going down.

SILVERS: 

The newscast spoke with Dr. Zach Moore of North Carolina's Department of Health and Human Services before Hurricane Helene. He explained why the public appreciates wastewater testing. Like many jurisdictions, North Carolina began using wastewater testing during COVID, and it's become more important as fewer entities submit COVID data.

MOORE: 

We were getting specimens sent in from all over the state, and that has all really melted away, and we get very few specimens submitted that go for sequencing at this point. So, wastewater has really helped fill that gap.

SILVERS: 

Now, North Carolina uses wastewater testing for a number of illnesses.

MOORE: 

We've moved on from COVID and expanded to include other targets. Mpox has been one that we've been doing for a while that's been very helpful, because some people with mpox don't ever seek care, or maybe seek care and don't get tested, don't get diagnosed.

SILVERS: 

Moore says North Carolina was named one of the nation's six wastewater centers of excellence, partly because of their work to ensure their testing effectively.

MOORE: 

So, we've done a lot of work to understand sort of how we can be strategic with our wastewater surveillance and recognizing the limitations that, you know, half of our state is not on a municipal wastewater system. How we can be strategic in trying to really place our surveillance in in these rural areas, so we can still get insights into what's happening in some of the more underserved parts of the state.

SILVERS: 

You can find recent reports and more information on wastewater surveillance by clicking the link in the show notes.

Guidehouse is one of the Public Health Infrastructure Grant or PHIG Implementation Centers that will help jurisdictions as part of the National Implementation Center program to support data modernization. Guidehouse's Truc Taylor says the team is ready to play its part.

TRUC TAYLOR: 

So, we understand how data is collected, exchanged, and used across this ecosystem. Many of us are actually public health practitioners who came from public health agencies and have lived these challenges.

SILVERS: 

Taylor stresses this program is open to everyone.

TAYLOR: 

All public health agencies are eligible to receive support through the IC program to support the priority use case, regardless of whether they were previously funded for PHIG or not.

SILVERS: 

October 15th is the deadline for agencies to be considered for the first wave of applications.

TAYLOR: 

The expressions of interest form, or what we're calling the EOI for short, which is the first step in submitting for direct project support is now open, and we encourage all interested public health agencies to submit one in the Implementation Center webpage. It's just a form you put in the information, you attach documents, and just submit.

SILVERS: 

Taylor says, if you submit by the October 15 date, you should be notified by November 4 whether or not your application moves forward. We have a link to the EOI form in the show notes.

Also today, Dr. Manisha Juthani, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health and an ASTHO member, is now also part of the Connecticut Health Foundation's advisory committee. The committee will provide guidance on a statewide blueprint for maternal health equity. Use the link in the show notes to learn more.

And learn how to create a more equitable public health system through grants. An ASTHO blog article outlines how to redesign payment structures, overcome implementation challenges, and more. Read the blog article by using the link in the show notes.

Finally, on tomorrow's newscast.

KELLY S. RAMSEY: 

They released the rules in February of this year, and then they took effect in April of this year.

SILVERS: 

Dr. Kelly S. Ramsey dives into SAMHSA's updated rules for the operation of opioid treatment programs. Follow the show, and you'll have the episode on your mobile device at 5am. 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.