Danny Staley, ASTHO senior vice president for public health programs and practice, details the recent Healthy Brain Initiative Summit where he presented a keynote presentation; Catherine Murphy, ASTHO government affairs analyst, explains...
Danny Staley, ASTHO senior vice president for public health programs and practice, details the recent Healthy Brain Initiative Summit where he presented a keynote presentation; Catherine Murphy, ASTHO government affairs analyst, explains the importance of the Prevention and Public Health Fund; an ASTHO webinar today, May 28 at 1 p.m. ET will focus on administrative preparedness for public health emergencies; and the CDC has launched a new Mental Health Data Channel.
ASTHO Web Page: Healthy Aging and Brain Health
ASTHO Blog Article: An Ounce of Prevention (and Public Health Fund) Is Worth a Pound of Cure
ASTHO Webinar: Strengthening Administrative Preparedness in Public Health Agencies
CDC Web Page: Mental Health Data Channel
SUMMER JOHNSON:
This is the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Wednesday, May 28, 2025 .I'm Summer Johnson. Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.
DANNY STALEY:
It was an opportunity that we had with the Alzheimer's Association to bring together our cohort of states who have really been looking at healthy aging, healthy brain activities, and trying to learn from each other.
JOHNSON:
ASTHO's Danny Staley was a keynote speaker at the recent Healthy Brain Initiative Summit in Chicago. Staley says we're making real progress in this arena.
STALEY:
We don't have to go quietly into the night anymore. We truly can look at aging with a different perspective. It's not just losing some of your mental faculties and acuity as you get older is just a sign of aging. There's things we can do.
JOHNSON:
Staley says there were a lot of productive conversations at the summit.
STALEY:
We've talked with states about how you take that life course perspective pre- birth all the way until our advanced stages, and you apply prevention to make sure folks are doing everything they can to benefit their cognitive state. We also even talked about some of the clinical aspects, as far as like, now early testing and some of the drugs that are now being out- used out there, and incorporating that in, as part of the prevention clinical services.
JOHNSON:
One of Staley's big takeaways from that keynote was that everyone has a part to play in healthy aging.
STALEY:
Make sure that you are integrating with others to help you in your mission for your specific area of work. So, that is not just one voice at an agency that truly others see the benefit in helping join forces to keeping everyone healthy.
JOHNSON:
May marks Older Americans Month, and it's a great time to check out all the resources ASTHO has for you. Make sure you check out the show notes to learn more.
The Prevention and Public Health Fund, or PPHF, is the subject of a recent Federal Health Policy Update. ASTO's Catherine Murphy authored that article, and tells us more.
CATHERINE MURPHY:
The Prevention and Public Health Fund is the first mandatory, rather than discretionary, funding line for public health programs. It's passage in the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ensures that each year funding that is not contingent on the annual appropriations process is provided for prevention programs.
JOHNSON:
Murphy says the funds go to many important projects across the country.
MURPHY:
The Prevention and Public Health Fund dollars go to numerous nationwide preventive health efforts, including immunization epidemiology and laboratory capacity, tobacco use, prevention, heart attack and stroke, childhood lead poisoning, and the Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant, just to name a couple.
JOHNSON:
ASTHO's, Federal Health Policy Update explains in even more depth why this fund is so critical.
MURPHY:
So, those dollars are provided by CDC to the states for them to use in their communities. Preventive efforts are crucial in securing the health of our nation, while estimates vary by program and the focus, we know that preventive health efforts save lives, prevent disease burden. No one wants to be sick, and they save money on health care spending.
JOHNSON:
Read the full Federal Health Policy Update when you click the link in the show notes.
Also on deck today, join ASTHO at 1 p.m. Eastern Time for a webinar on administrative preparedness for public health emergencies. You'll learn practical strategies, tools and real-world examples from jurisdictions improving their emergency processes. There's still time to register using the link in the show notes. Again, that's today, Wednesday, May 28 at 1 p.m. Eastern.
Finally, in recognition of May as Mental Health Awareness Month, CDC has launched a new Mental Health Data Channel. The platform consolidates mental health data across CDC, national, and state sources into a user-friendly resource aimed at improving mental health. Check it out by clicking 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.
