806: Substance Misuse and Overdose Prevention Outlook, PHAB Journey

JANSON SILVERS: 

This is the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Monday, December 9, 2024. I'm Janson Silvers. Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.

JAMES MCDONALD:

It is encouraging to see the decrease in fatal overdose deaths. And I think, you know, in New York, we're encouraged about this as well.

SILVERS: 

Today, we continue ASTHO's Legislative Prospectus Series with Dr. James McDonald, the commissioner of the New York State Department of Health, and an ASTHO member. McDonald's topic is substance misuse and overdose prevention.

MCDONALD:

Things we've done in New York, taking some of our opiate supplement advisory board funds, investing more in community-based organizations, really doing an early touch with people, recognizing when people leave incarceration, there's a transition.

SILVERS: 

With so many different substances out there, McDonald says his state is trying to inform the public that many items like cannabis products are safer in the regulated market.

MCDONALD:

Trying to help people recognize there's a reason why products are regulated; it's to put some measure of protection around them and I think that's one of the things that makes the most sense because as you see more and more of these products become available, you really need the public to have a certain sense of awareness of what's the risk.

SILVERS: 

While we are seeing some of the most encouraging overdose numbers in years, McDonald also urges everyone to remain vigilant.

MCDONALD:

If there's one thing I've learned about dealing with the overdose epidemic the last 15 years is it does turn on a dime, because once you get a different substance in your market, it really does increase morbidity and mortality. So, it's a time to be a little bit encouraged, but I think perseverance is really this still the buzz word of work in this space.

SILVERS: 

Read more about this Legislative Prospectus topic and the other top public health trends identified by ASTHO by clicking the link in the show notes.

Earlier this year, the Alaska Division of Public Health received national accreditation through the Public Health Accreditation Board, also known as PHAB. This isn't an easy journey, and Dr. Lindsey Kato, the director of the Division of Public Health for the State of Alaska, says COVID hit right in the middle of their accreditation process, something that could have been detrimental.

LINDSEY KATO: 

I think the reason why the Division of Public Health was able to still pursue the process is really because we had a full-time resource through our PHIG grant to support a staff person who was focused almost completely full-time on accreditation.

SILVERS: 

Not only did PHIG provide funds for a staff person solely for accreditation, but it also provided a mock site visit that was crucial.

KATO: 

Through ASTHO and PHIG's partnership, we had members from ASTHO come and do a mock accreditation site visit, come all the way to Alaska in the middle of a snowstorm, which was pretty incredible to see them trying to even make their way to the office while most places were shut down.

SILVERS: 

Kato says the accreditation journey has been more impactful than anything that has happened since then.

KATO: 

I think for us, it's not necessarily what changes we've seen since achieving accreditation. I think it's all of the changes that we saw along the whole journey to accreditation. I think we were constantly tweaking, making changes, documenting things that we were already doing, celebrating things that we were already doing, filling in gaps.

SILVERS: 

A blog article on Alaska's accreditation process is online now. Click the link in the show notes and read it today.

SILVERS: 

Finally, this morning, make sure to check out the Public Health Infrastructure Grant newsletter for all things PHIG. Important information, like deadlines, events, resources, and opportunities are all included. A link to sign up is in the show notes.

SILVERS: 

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.