Dr. Joseph Kanter, CEO of ASTHO, joined us from the Public Health Infrastructure Grant Annual Recipient Convening to discuss the importance of public health leaders coming together to learn from one another; Dr. Sameer Vohra, ASTHO member and director of the Illinois Department of Public Health...
Dr. Joseph Kanter, CEO of ASTHO, joined us from the Public Health Infrastructure Grant Annual Recipient Convening to discuss the importance of public health leaders coming together to learn from one another; Dr. Sameer Vohra, ASTHO member and director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, explains how his department works to improve access to care in rural communities across the state; ASTHO will host the first webinar session of the Activate series in the Ignite, Accelerate, and Activate leadership workshop on Thursday, September 11; and the PHIG National Partners' Connections newsletter helps keep public health leaders up to date on deadlines, project updates, resources, and more.
Illinois Department of Public Health: Rural & Underserved Populations
ASTHO Web Page: PHIG Connections Newsletter
JANSON SILVERS:
This is the award winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Wednesday, August 27, 2025. I'm Janson Silvers. Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.
JOSEPH KANTER:
We've been ringing the bell for years about public health infrastructure. Now we have the opportunity to actually shore it up.
SILVERS:
The Public Health Infrastructure Grant Annual Recipient Convening took place last week, providing public health departments that have received the funding with the opportunity to meet and learn from one another about how the investment is making an impact across the country. ASTHO CEO Dr. Joseph Kanter discusses the value of coming together as public health leaders.
KANTER:
Being able to listen to the conversations taking place, where folks working on similar problems in very different environments throughout the country can talk about particular strategies, to me, is really inspiring.
SILVERS:
As public health faces challenges in the national spotlight, the convening allowed public health leaders to focus on the work that's being done.
KANTER:
I just left a session that talked about, at its core, resiliency and how to stay strong. And I feel rejuvenated, and I really hope that folks will, in a couple days, go back to their hometowns and approach their work with a new zest.
SILVERS:
Kanter hopes the public health community will remember how important their work is, despite the trying times.
KANTER:
The public doesn't always recognize what public health is doing. Sometimes it's in the background. But as a mentor of mine always told me, "Public health saved your life today, you just didn't know it." I want folks in the public health community to know that.
SILVERS:
Stay tuned to future episodes for more updates from the Annual Recipient Convening.
Rural communities often face challenges accessing care due to a lack of resources, making public health grants even more essential in filling gaps and providing services to the community. Dr. Sameer Vohra, ASTHO member and director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, explains how his department works to meet the needs of rural populations.
SAMEER VOHRA:
Part of our public health infrastructure efforts have been geared towards local public health transformation, and part of that is that, "How do we partner, collaborate?" Because when resources are limited, the power of partnership and coordination of services is that much more important.
SILVERS:
Vohra says it's important to remember to think differently when building an approach to reach rural communities.
VOHRA:
There are similar disparities, but the culture and context of those communities are different. They don't often have the university settings or the philanthropy or other things that our urban communities are used to.
SILVERS:
To find solutions, Illinois created opportunities for collaboration.
VOHRA:
We had an Artificial Intelligence and Rural Health Summit with rural hospitals, public health leaders, universities, really like work on how do we use the latest technology to open doors, close gaps? Because it really is an opportunity here.
SILVERS:
Head to the link in the show notes to learn more about the work Illinois is doing to strengthen rural health care services.
ASTHO will host the first webinar session of the final series in the Ignite, Accelerate, and Activate leadership workshop on Thursday, September 11. The Activate session will focus on how to manage emotions effectively and enhance your interpersonal skills to help build and maintain healthy relationships. There's still time to sign up. Just click the link in the show notes.
Finally, if you're looking for ways to stay current on Public Health Infrastructure Grant deadlines, project updates, events, resources, opportunities, and successes, check out the PHIG National Partners' Connections newsletter. You can subscribe now 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 Janson Silvers. You're listening to the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition. Have a great day.
