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Ashlyn Sherman, health planning coordinator for the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, tells us how a PHIG-funded ASTHO technical assistance opportunity helped her department; Colton Anderson, an ASTHO senior analyst for Public Health Systems Improvement, details what to...
Ashlyn Sherman, health planning coordinator for the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, tells us how a PHIG-funded ASTHO technical assistance opportunity helped her department; Colton Anderson, an ASTHO senior analyst for Public Health Systems Improvement, details what to consider when picking a performance management system; the fourth national convening of the STRETCH 2.0 initiative on is Wednesday, January 29 at 4 p.m. ET; and ASTHO is now taking applications for the Leadership Exchange for Adolescent Health Promotion Plus Community of Practice.
ASTHO Blog Article: Missouri Takes Strategic Steps to Improve Policy Processes
ASTHO Blog Article: Eight Considerations For Choosing a Performance Management System
ASTHO Webinar: Centering Community-Led Strategies to Sustainable Public Health Financing
ASTHO Web Page: Funding & Collaboration Opportunities
SUMMER JOHNSON:
This is the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Tuesday, January 28, 2025. I'm Summer Johnson. Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.
ASHLYN SHERMAN:
We're less than a year out from the creation of the Policy Review Committee, and already it's improved our processes greatly.
JOHNSON:
That's Ashlyn Sherman with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Sherman is talking about the ASTHO technical assistance opportunity funded by PHIG that helped them through the PHAB re-accreditation process.
SHERMAN:
So, we realized this is a free opportunity to have experts come in and help us create this from the ground up, based off of best practices. So, that's what we ended up doing, and it was fantastic for us.
JOHNSON:
A two-day, on-site visit from ASTHO guided a significant project for the department, and the department was able to revamp its Policy Review Committee.
SHERMAN:
So, we really did create a brand new process that was much more indicative and streamlined of what our department is and where we wanted to be. We also finalized the committee's charter and created bylaws to govern the Committee's actions. So, this ensured the process of creating this new committee was collaborative.
JOHNSON:
Sherman emphasizes that PHIG technical assistance made this possible.
SHERMAN:
So, by using PHIG TA, our department did not have to utilize any funds ourselves to utilize the TA. So, it was all covered by PHIG, and then ASTHO was able to come on-site and help us in-person on the two-day visit.
JOHNSON:
An ASTHO blog article dives more into Missouri's success. You can read it by clicking the link in the show notes.
A performance management system may be just what your organization needs to serve your community even more effectively. ASTHO's Colton Anderson outlines some important considerations when making the decision on which performance management system is right for you, but first, Anderson says agencies should start with the end in mind.
COLTON ANDERSON:
Clearly defining goals ensures the system aligns with the agency's mission and priorities. It helps agencies avoid investing in features or tools that don't address actual needs, and ensures the system supports meaningful metrics and actual insights, which will in-turn maximize its value to the health agency.
JOHNSON:
Anderson also recommends keeping performance management as simple as possible.
ANDERSON:
I think most health agencies complicate performance management. It gets over-complicated when agencies adopt too many tools or track excessive metrics. This can dilute focus and overwhelm staff. To stay focused, agencies should prioritize metrics that are most aligned with their strategic goals and public health outcomes.
JOHNSON:
It also helps to reach out to your public health colleagues for their experiences with a performance management system.
ANDERSON:
Connecting with other health agencies who have had success with this approach will be a great first step for a lot of health agencies wanting to take this home-grown approach.
JOHNSON:
ASTHO has a number of resources for starting, choosing, and implementing the best performance management system for your agency. Use the links in the show notes to learn more.
Also, this week is your chance to check out STRETCH. O'Keyla Cooper has more.
O'KEYLA COOPER:
Join ASTHO for the fourth national convening of the STRETCH 2.0 initiative on Wednesday, January 29 from 4-5:30pm ET. This 90-minute session will tackle structural barriers in public health agencies and highlight strategies to enhance collaboration and sustainability. Register now by clicking the link in the show notes.
JOHNSON:
Finally, this morning, ASTHO is now taking applications for the Leadership Exchange for Adolescent Health Promotion Plus Community of Practice. The goal of the program is to create a sustainable framework to address adolescent health through school-based strategies. Learn more about this opportunity by using the link in the show notes.
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.
