Elle Talsma, project supervisor for the INSPIRE Program at the Minnesota Department of Health, tells us how the program encourages students to take an interest in public health; Chris Baumgartner, deputy chief informatics officer at the Washington...
Elle Talsma, project supervisor for the INSPIRE Program at the Minnesota Department of Health, tells us how the program encourages students to take an interest in public health; Chris Baumgartner, deputy chief informatics officer at the Washington State Department of Health, discusses his time in the ASTHO Leadership Institute; and the Implementing Pharmacist-Prescribed Contraception Learning Community is currently accepting applications.
Minnesota Department of Health Web Page: INSPIRE Program
ASTHO Web Page: ASTHO Leadership Institute
ASTHO Web Page: Implementing Pharmacist-Prescribed Contraception Learning Community
JANSON SILVERS:
This is the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Monday, March 3, 2025. I'm Janson Silvers. Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.
ELLE TALSMA:
One way that we're hoping to just expand public health is that we want students to hear about public health way earlier than we did, so that's why we're bringing it to middle schoolers and high schoolers.
SILVERS:
That's Elle Talsma with the Minnesota Department of Health talking about the INSPIRE program. INSPIRE stands for Introducing Students to Public Health Initiatives Rooted in Experiences.
TALSMA:
What we do is have our MDH staff lead students through experiential learning activities to problem solve public health issues that impact communities across Minnesota. So, these students participate in learning activities to problem solve and they learn how vital public health is.
SILVERS:
One of the lessons Talsma's team performs involves the students being epidemiologists for a day and dealing with an illness outbreak at a restaurant.
TALSMA:
The students then go through case and control interviews. They're abbreviated. They're not as long as what we actually do, but they do get to look, and see, and say, like, okay, so you know, Tom, Dick, and Harry all had vomiting and diarrhea. It looks like it started at this time. What did they eat? Like, what do they have in common that they ate?
SILVERS:
While the activities are fun and engaging, the overall goal is a serious one, building out the public health workforce.
TALSMA:
So, then we're hoping that long-term, if we're able to do this, to get into a bunch of different schools, maybe visit more than once. We're hoping that our public health workforce in Minnesota is going to be a little bit more robust, a little bit more diverse, and that we just continue to have an awesome public health workforce here.
SILVERS:
The Minnesota Department of Health has a web page dedicated to the INSPIRE program. There's a link in the show notes.
The deadline to apply to ASTHO's Leadership Institute has been extended to March 10. Chris Baumgartner is in the program now and says it has been invaluable to him.
CHRIS BAUMGARTNER:
You know, what they provide is really practical methods and tools that can help me find direction and alignment and commitment from my team, the mentor coaching that has really challenged me to grow guidance on how to ensure my team can be successful, in ways I can share I met my best for my team.
SILVERS:
Baumgartner says ASTHO knows that state health officials aren't around forever, which is why the entire leadership team is so vital.
BAUMGARTNER:
ASTHO really sees the value in building up those layers right underneath the top executive layer of an agency, and how critical that is, because those are the folks that are often going to still be there between all those shifts.
SILVERS:
For anyone considering the ASTHO Leadership Institute, Baumgartner says it was a terrific move for his professional life.
BAUMGARTNER:
As I consider my career and where I'm at in the agency, it really seems like a great opportunity to strengthen my ability to be that kind of stabilizing factor within the agency and provide some leadership where I can.
SILVERS:
Again, the deadline to apply has been extended to March 10, but don't wait. The link to sign up is in the show notes.
Also, another exciting opportunity to sign up for today. The Implementing Pharmacist-Prescribed Contraception Learning Community is currently accepting applications. Participants will receive technical assistance for implementing PPC programs, including building workforce reimbursement and awareness strategies. Apply by clicking the link in the show notes.
Finally, this morning, a lot of legislation affects public health. Make sure you never miss a beat when you sign up for ASTHO's Legislative Alerts delivered to your inbox from ASTHO's Government Affairs team. As always, the link is in the show notes.
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.
Chris Baumgartner
Deputy Chief Informatics Officer, Washington State Department of Health
ASTHO Leadership Institute Participant