Robbyn Kistler, senior consultant for the Social Impact Media Program at KFF, tells us about recent syphilis videos that ASTHO, KFF, and CDC created; Theresa Arriola, director of the Guam Department of Public Health and Social Services, discusses the importance of face-to-face interactions at ASTHO’s Spring Leadership...
Robbyn Kistler, senior consultant for the Social Impact Media Program at KFF, tells us about recent syphilis videos that ASTHO, KFF, and CDC created; Theresa Arriola, director of the Guam Department of Public Health and Social Services, discusses the importance of face-to-face interactions at ASTHO’s Spring Leadership Forum; ASTHO has several tools that can help your team during National Child Abuse Prevention Month; and an ASTHO webinar on Thursday is focused on navigating AI-enabled community-inclusive preparedness.
ASTHO Web Page: Syphilis Testing and Prevention Videos
ASTHO Report: Adverse Childhood Experiences Prevention Policy Tool
ASTHO Web Page: Actions to Build Capacity for ACEs Prevention
ASTHO Web Page: Adverse Childhood Experiences Capacity Assessment Tool Roadmap
ASTHO Webinar: INSPIRE – Readiness – Navigating AI-Enabled Community-Inclusive Preparedness
JANSON SILVERS:
This is the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Wednesday, April 16, 2025. I'm Janson Silvers. Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.
ROBBYN KISTLER:
These new videos are particularly encouraging emergency room and urgent care providers to screen for congenital syphilis. They're part of a series called 'Ask Me Anything' that KFF produced on HIV and STDs, and other sexual health topics.
SILVERS:
ASTHO, KFF, and CDC recently created a series of videos focused on syphilis testing and prevention. Here's Robbyn Kistler with KFF.
KISTLER:
KFF filmed trusted experts, you know, folks with MD and PHS and other amazing credentials who are leaders in the field that we all respect, and recorded their messages to support both patient and provider engagement on sexual health issues.
SILVERS:
ASTHO leadership spearheaded this important issue.
KISTLER:
So, ASTHO approached KFF with concern that many of the cases that are being missed are in those who aren't able to access prenatal care routinely, but do often have some engagement in emergency or urgent care settings prior to delivery. So, there's an opportunity there, and that's why we partnered with ASTHO to make this series to encourage healthcare workers to screen all of their pregnant patients.
SILVERS:
Kistler says this issue is something that everyone should care about.
KISTLER:
It's the job of public health to alert the rest of the system when our surveillance shows there is reason for concern, and when it's congenital syphilis, there is so much reason for concern. So, let's all work together to make sure we have healthy pregnancies and healthy babies.
SILVERS:
ASTHO encourages jurisdictions to use the videos in their own initiatives. You can find several versions of the videos online now, just use the link in the show notes.
Theresa Arriola serves as the director of the Guam Department of Public Health and Social Services and is an ASTHO member. Arriola says her recent trip to D.C. for ASTHO's Spring Leadership Forum was invaluable.
THERESA ARRIOLA:
Very often, when you're in my position or a position of authority, it's quite lonely in the sense that there's a lot of responsibility that falls on your shoulder, and it's always nice to know that there's a network of people that share those same feelings and that you can rely on.
SILVERS:
The forum was the first time Arriola was able to meet many of her colleagues in person.
ARRIOLA:
I got to see people personally that I've only met on Zoom calls, the ASTHO weekly calls, all state and territory director calls, and so I was able to meet them in person. So, it's very, very wonderful to put a face to a name.
SILVERS:
Arriola adds that the community built at the Spring Leadership Meeting [Forum] will help her in her day-to-day work.
ARRIOLA:
These are colleagues that I've met personally, and I can reach out to them; any questions, you know, similar challenges in the healthcare field, throughout the nation and in the islands, and it's always nice to know that I can pick up the phone, and now call them 'friend,' and be able to pick their brain or see what their state or their territory is handling a certain situation.
SILVERS:
April marks National Child Abuse Prevention Month and ASTHO has numerous resources to help. Three tools for Adverse Childhood Experiences prevention are linked in the show notes. Head there to learn more.
Finally, tomorrow, April 17, is ASTHO's INSPIRE: Readiness webinar. This one focuses on how to navigate AI-enabled community inclusive preparedness. AI experts, the Kansas Health Institute, and others will present. You can sign up by using the link in the show notes.
That will 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.
