773: Fusion Centers Assist Public Health, DELPH Endorsement

JANSON SILVERS: 

This is the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Friday, October 18, 2024. I'm Janson Silvers. Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.

DAVID MOFFITT: 

The interest of where we're talking here is the interface of where homeland security-related intelligence affects public health and vice versa.

SILVERS: 

David Moffitt, with the Phoenix Fire Department, Homeland Defense Bureau, tells us about the importance of Fusion Centers. The centers were invented after 9/11 by the Department of Homeland Security.

MOFFITT: 

They are hubs off of an intelligence spoke that are out there to do outreach to the community. They serve as primary focal points within state and local environment for the receipt, analysis, and gathering and sharing of threat-related information.

SILVERS: 

Moffitt says Fusion Centers are where public health and law enforcement-related responses intersect.

MOFFITT: 

The information that's really important out there is the direct impact to health care, what we would anticipate, and then the impact, or the mitigation regarding medical countermeasures.

SILVERS: 

More information on Fusion Centers is in the show notes.

ASTHO'S Diverse Executives Leading in Public Health, or DELPH, program has set many graduates up for success. Keon Lewis is a health equity consultant for C4 Innovations and is a graduate of the third DELPH cohort.

KEON LEWIS: 

So, I think the biggest thing was being able to put me in a space to meet other leaders in public health from a wide range of aspects; everything from the administrative side, to research, Epidemiology, education.

SILVERS: 

One of Lewis's favorite sessions from his time in DELPH was a session in Atlanta that focused on establishing leadership presence.

LEWIS: 

And I thought that particular session was very impactful because it put us in scenarios where we had to test it out; but to also, you know, be honest and transparent on which of those three areas we thought we were strongest in, and which of those three areas we thought we pretty much felt that we needed to improve upon.

SILVERS: 

Lewis saw not only his own growth throughout the program, but was also able to see how much his classmates excelled.

LEWIS: 

I think it's a beautiful process to watch over the scope of the year; to see someone come in and their personality is one way, and then by the time you're finishing graduating, it elevates. And so it is a remarkable experience.

SILVERS: 

If you want to be part of the next DELPH cohort, you can apply today. The application is now online and the deadline is October 31. A link to apply is in the show notes.

Also today, the CDC has issued a Health Alert Network advisory about a supply interruption to certain dialysis and IV solutions due to Hurricane Helene. Read the full advisory by clicking the link in the show notes and sign up for ASTHO's Legislative Alerts. Get the latest information from Washington, D.C. and state legislatures across the country right in your inbox. Use the link in the show notes to sign up today.

Finally, on Monday's newscast...

SEJAL HATHI: 

The Oregon Health Authority this summer of 2024 launched a first-in-the nation's strategic plan to eliminate health inequities by 2030.

SILVERS: 

ASTHO member, Dr. Sejal Hathi, dives into the state's strategic plan. Follow the show, and you'll have the episode on your mobile device at 5 a.m. 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 on Monday 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 weekend.