Adverse Childhood Experiences Episodes
July 6, 2026
1159: Strengthening Public Health Through Preparedness
On today's episode, Catherine Jones, senior analyst of Government Affairs at ASTHO, breaks down the importance of federal preparedness in strengthening public health.
Guest: Catherine Jones, MPH
423
Oct. 24, 2025
1018: FHIR Improves Timely Data, Data Modernization Advisory Committee
Alfarena McGinty, Marion County coroner in Indianapolis, Indiana, explains how her department’s investment in Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) has improved the efficiency and interoperability of timely mortality data; Amanda Jones, data modernization director at the Vermont Department of Health, discusses why her department created a Data Modernization Advisory Committee to promote cultural change and foster excitement around new technologies; ASTHO is now accepting applications...
Guests: Alfarena McGinty, MBA , Amanda Jones, MPH
417
Oct. 16, 2025
1012: Public Health’s 40 Under 40, Litigation Round-up
Amelia Poulin, assistant director of emerging infectious disease at ASTHO, discusses how she was recently recognized as an honoree of de Beaumont Foundation’s 40 under 40 in Public Health awards; Christina Severin, director of public health law at ASTHO, breaks down her recent Health Policy Update,...
382
Aug. 26, 2025
977: CDC Mental Health Data Channel, PH Education Goals
Dr. Kayla Anderson, senior advisor for mental health and adverse childhood experiences in the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, shares how the CDC’s new Mental Health Data Channel streamlines access to essential data and resources that often become siloed by different sources; Dr. Scott Rivkees, dean of education at the School of Public Health at Brown University...
Guests: Scott Rivkees MD , Kayla Anderson PhD
364
July 29, 2025
957: Your Local Epidemiologist, Behavioral Health Commission
Dr. Katelyn Jetelina, epidemiologist and CEO of Your Local Epidemiologist, shares how her public health newsletter helps to educate readers about the policies and science impacting public health today; Tracy Gruber, executive director of the Utah Department of Health and Human Services...
Guests: Katelyn Jetelina, PhD, MPH , Tracy Gruber JD
July 21, 2025
951: Food Safety Efforts, Long COVID Awareness
Dr. Vanessa Coffman, Director of the Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness, shares how the organization’s new Food Safety Culture Toolkit can help public health officials strengthen food safety efforts; Dr. Michelle Morse, Acting Commissioner for the New York City Health Department, explains how their new series, “Living with Long COVID,” is helping to educate New Yorkers about the illness; ASTHO will host a webinar on Thursday, July 24th, about effective communication strategies to enhance public health messaging; ASTHO has developed resources to help jurisdictions implement upstream policies that prevent adverse childhood experiences; and next Wednesday, July 23rd, the second session of the Accelerate series in ASTHO’s Ignite, Accelerate, and Activate online workshop will take place to discuss conflict and collaboration.
Guests: Vanessa Coffman PhD , Michelle Morse MD MPH
494
April 16, 2025
886: Syphilis Prevention Videos, Fostering Relationships
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...
Guests: Theresa Arriola MBA , Robbyn Kistler
411
Dec. 3, 2024
802: ASTHO Affiliate Council, More Syphilis Testing
David Harvey, executive director of the National Coalition of STD Directors and the ASTHO Affiliate Council chair, tells us how the ASTHO Affiliate Council assists public health; Patrick Allen, former secretary of the New Mexico Department of Health,...
Guests: David Harvey MSW , Patrick Allen
298
June 18, 2024
688: Telehealth Needs Assessment, Executive Training in Action
Suleima Salgado, an ASTHO Telehealth Consultant, shares details of a new needs assessment focused on telehealth; Dr. Fredrick Echols, CEO and Founder of Population Health and Social Justice Consulting LLC and a DELPH Graduate, tells us how DELPH...
Guests: Fredrick L. Echols MD , Suleima Salgado MBA
242
April 1, 2024
633: Voting Impacts Public Health, States Make Transportation Connections
Jeanne Ayers, ASTHO alum and executive director of Healthy Democracy Healthy People, says research has shown that a civically engaged community is a healthy community; Betty Bekemeier, professor at the University of Washington School of Nursing, tells...
239
March 26, 2024
629: Long COVID Strategies, Updated ACEs Approaches
Dr. Marcus Plescia, ASTHO chief medical officer, updates us on the Long COVID situation; Dr. Mark Levine, commissioner of health for the State of Vermont, tells us about ASTHO’s recently updated policy statement on adverse childhood experiences; and...
227
March 7, 2024
616: Social Media Epidemic, States Act to Address Youth Eating Disorders
Dr. Matthew Biel, professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at Georgetown University Medical Center, tells us social media is not necessarily a good part of childhood; Lexa Giragosian, ASTHO senior analyst for Maternal and Infant Health, says...
Guests: Lexa Giragosian, MPH , Matthew Biel MD MSc
214
Feb. 16, 2024
603: Report Calls for New Health Data Approach, ASTHO Members Plan Hill Visit
Dr. Gabriel Seidman, Director of Policy at the Ellison Institute of Technology, details the need for a stronger nationwide health data ecosystem; Jeffrey Ekoma, ASTHO Senior Director for Government Affairs, tells us how some topics on the Hill that...
Guests: Jeffrey Ekoma, MBA, MS , Gabriel Seidman DrPH
210
Feb. 12, 2024
599: Why Patients Don’t Want a COVID Vaccine, Policies to Help Young Families
Dr. Danielle Ofri, Clinical Professor of Medicine at New York University School of Medicine, tells us some patients still have concerns about COVID-19 vaccines; Jessica Bissett, ASTHO Senior Analyst for Social and Behavioral Health, discusses several...
Guests: Jessica Bissett , Danielle Ofri MD PhD
200
Jan. 29, 2024
589: Syphilis Treatment Option, Safe Firearm Storage Laws
Julia Greenspan, ASTHO Director, Infectious Diseases, says the FDA deciding to import a medication that treats syphilis is a step in the right direction; Caitlin Langhorne Griffith, ASTHO Director of Behavioral Health, tells us many states...
195
Jan. 22, 2024
584: Violence Prevention Work Gets Attention, First Responders Connect Via Telemedicine Link
Dr. Elizabeth Cuervo Tilson, State Health Director and Chief Medical Officer of the North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services, tells us about a recent meeting with officials from the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention;...
189
Jan. 11, 2024
578: New Fentanyl Laws, Report Indicates Climate Impacts on Mental Health
Dr. Sameer Vohra, ASTHO member and director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, tells us new laws in Illinois will seek to address the deadly effects of fentanyl; Paul Schramm, health scientist for the CDC, details the far-reaching and...
170
Dec. 7, 2023
559: Policy Ideas Address Maternal Morbidity, Investment in the 9-8-8 Hotline
Dr. Sameer Vohra, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, examines the third edition of the state’s maternal morbidity and mortality report; Dr. Umair Shah, secretary of health for the Washington State Department of Health, discusses...
166
Dec. 1, 2023
555: New Climate Policy Calls for Funding, Actions to Prevent Dengue
Elke Shaw-Tulloch, public health administrator, Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, says ASTHO’s revised policy statement on climate and health recommends more funding for state and territorial climate programs; Dr. Lyle Petersen,...
108
Sept. 6, 2023
497: New Approach to ACEs Prevention, Climate Challenges Lead to Cooperation
Safia Khan, Deputy Commissioner and Chief of Staff at the Minnesota Department of Corrections, outlines how the Healthy Start Act will reduce the negative impact of adverse childhood experiences in Minnesota; Danny Staley, ASTHO’s Senior Vice...
Guests: Danny Staley, MS , Safia Khan
104
Aug. 30, 2023
493: Substance Use During Pregnancy, Partnering with the Youth Justice System
Sowmya Kuruganti, Analyst with ASTHO’s Family and Child Health Team, discusses disturbing numbers surrounding overdose-related deaths among pregnant and postpartum people; Shelby McCulley, Director of the Bureau of Youth Services at the Wisconsin...
Guests: Sowmya Kuruganti MPH , Shelby McCulley
102
Aug. 28, 2023
491: CDC Rural Health, Childhood Mental Health
Diane Hall, Director of the CDC Office of Rural Health, outlines the office's priorities; Claire Rudolph, ASTHO Consultant and Assistant Director of the New York State Department of Health’s Child Health Bureau, discusses how childhood experiences...
Guests: Diane Hall PhD , Claire Rudolph MPH
88
Aug. 8, 2023
477: PH-HERO Set to Grow, Dialysis Patient Voices
Omar Khalid, ASTHO’s Director of Workforce Development, explains the expansion of ASTHO’s Public Health – Hope, Equity, Resilience, and Opportunity (PH-HERO) initiative; Erin Laird, ASTHO’s Director of Emerging Infections, says preventing...
Guests: Omar Khalid , Erin Laird MPH
19
April 27, 2023
408: Childhood Toxic Stress, Encouraging Exercise
Dr. Nathaniel Harnett, Assistant Professor at The Harvard Medical School, discusses findings from his study connecting early childhood stress to mental health problems; Dr. Alison Cuellar, Chair of the Community Preventive Services Task Force and a...
Guests: Nathaniel Harnett PhD , Alison Cuellar, PhD