Claire Hannan, executive director of the Association of Immunization Managers, details AIM’s 2024 Annual Report as they celebrate 25 years in existence; Sara Bell, ASTHO senior analyst for public health systems and planning, tells us how a new ASTHO resource can help your team with internal communications
Claire Hannan, executive director of the Association of Immunization Managers, details AIM’s 2024 Annual Report as they celebrate 25 years in existence; Sara Bell, ASTHO senior analyst for public health systems and planning, tells us how a new ASTHO resource can help your team with internal communications; an ASTHO webinar on Thursday, July 10 at 2 p.m. ET will aim to teach you how to clearly and effectively communicate public health data; and ASTHO has a crisis communcations hub with trainings, videos, and additional resources.
Association of Immunization Managers Web Page: AIM 2024 Annual Report
ASTHO Blog Article: Field-Tested-Strategies for Effective Communication in Public Health
ASTHO Web Page: Public Health & Crisis Communications Resource Hub
SUMMER JOHNSON:
This is the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Monday, June 9, 2025. I'm Summer Johnson. Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.
CLAIRE HANNAN:
One of the driving forces bringing the community together 25 years ago was the effort across states to implement a new government program, the Vaccines for Children program. And now we're on 30 years of success with that program; prevented over 500 million illnesses, 32 million hospitalizations, and helped avoid over 1 million deaths in children.
JOHNSON:
Claire Hannan is executive director of the Association of Immunization Managers, or AIM, which is celebrating 25 years of public health work. AIM recently released its 2024 Annual Report, which includes data on the Vaccine Access Cooperative.
HANNAN:
But I think the biggest challenge right now, and what we really focused on with the VAC is low demand, and really creating demands for vaccines, educating adults, trying to get the urgency in adults to get vaccinated. You know, there's confusion around the risk and benefit.
JOHNSON:
Hannan says, since we all have a common interest in keeping our families and communities healthy, public health professionals can support keeping those immunization systems strong.
HANNAN:
Public health departments, both federally and locally, just need to capitalize on that common ground. Keep communication lines open with health professionals and members of the community. Establish and build on these partnerships, and then the other piece is continuing to collect, analyze, and share data; knowing where you have vulnerable areas and vulnerable communities, and working together.
JOHNSON:
AIM is also tracking the movement of vaccine-related legislation in states across the country.
HANNAN:
The biggest trend we are seeing is that there are more bills introduced each year across state legislative sessions that relate to vaccines, and we know this places a burden on immunization staff, you know, to track and monitor these bills, and some of the key themes that we see are relating to vaccine requirements and exemptions. That's probably the biggest thing that we've seen being addressed by these pieces of legislation: anti-discrimination; you know, vaccine cost coverage, and also expanding the professional ability to vaccinate.
JOHNSON:
You can read AIM's full 2024 Annual Report yourself. Just use the link in the show notes to find it.
ASTHO has a new resource to help you with your internal communication. Here's ASTHO's Sarah Bell.
SARA BELL:
Internal communication shapes how public health teams operate, feel connected, and make decisions. Without it, even the most carefully crafted external messages can fall flat. So, this blog really highlights that staff need timely, relevant updates to do their jobs effectively, especially when priorities shift or emergencies emerge.
JOHNSON:
Bell says internal communication has a real effect on the rest of public health.
BELL:
So, sustainability isn't just about funding, it's about people understanding the 'why' behind programs and seeing the value over time. So, when staff and partners are kept in the loop, they're more likely to remain engaged, sharing success stories and advocating for a continued investment.
JOHNSON:
Bell adds, there are many different ways to be an effective internal communicator.
BELL:
So, some teams use three-part communications rollouts, such as thinking first about with executives, then all-staff emails, then small group meetings, really recognizing that people are absorbing information differently.
JOHNSON:
The resource offers effective communication strategies for departments. You can use the link in the show notes to find it.
JOHNSON:
Also on deck this week, ASTHO has more communications learning planned for you in a workshop. O'Keyla Cooper explains.
O'KEYLA COOPER:
Join ASTHO on Thursday, July 10, at 2 p.m. Eastern Time for a session on clearly and effectively communicating public health data. Dr. Amanda Simanek will share tips on simplifying complex information and building public trust. Register now using the link in the show notes.
JOHNSON:
Finally, did you know ASTHO has a Crisis Communications Hub? You can find trainings, videos, and other resources all at your fingertips. Use the link in the show notes to learn more.
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.
