Community Health Initiatives Episodes

On today's episode, ASTHO's Corinne Gillenwater discusses ASTHO’s updated e-learning course for community health workers (CHWs) on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, including information related to dementia risk reduction, early detection, caregiving, and more.

In recognition of National Community Health Workers Week, ASTHO’s Ashley Cram dives into how states are supporting this essential field through training, supervision, career pathways, and sustainable funding.

Jerome Larkin, ASTHO member and director of the Rhode Island Department of Health, discusses Rhode Island's "Better State of Healthy" campaign and how it is helping the department build connections with the community.

On today's episode, Conlin Bass, health systems suicide prevention manager for the Colorado Office of Suicide Prevention, explains Colorado’s comprehensive, data-driven strategy focused on reaching people before they hit a breaking point.

On today's episode, ASTHO Director of Infrastructure Communications Elise Moore explores a growing trend in grant funding: community impact statements, and how they explain not just what public health agencies are doing, but why it matters.

In this episode, Kirsten Aird, from Oregon’s Multnomah County, explores how strategic investments are strengthening workforce capacity, stability, and community impact.

In this National Public Health Week conversation about community leadership and tobacco control, Josh Berry, director, chronic disease risk factors, at ASTHO, breaks down how state and territorial programs partner with trusted, on-the-ground community organizations to reach at-risk populations and drive real impact. These long-standing relationships aren’t just helpful, they’re essential to building credibility and delivering results where they matter most. But the landscape is shifting. With the elimination of the CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health and growing uncertainty around funding, programs across the country are being forced to adapt and do more with less while trying to maintain core services like quitlines, surveillance, and policy engagement.

On today's episode, ASTHO's Kimberlee Wyche Etheridge highlights why workforce pathway programs, mentorship, and hands-on partnerships between universities and health departments are critical. Then, Brian Castrucci, president and CEO of the de Beaumont Foundation, discusses his recent article, focused on ways the public health field can communicate its impact.

Christy Roby, local public health performance section supervisor with Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, explains how her agency developed a new technical assistance infrastructure referral system; Chelsea Cipriano, managing director of the Common Health Coalition...

Dr. Brian Castrucci, president and CEO of the de Beaumont Foundation, shares how the 2024 PH WINS survey can help state and local health departments develop more strategic workforce development plans; Dr. David Spach, editor-in-chief of the National STD Curriculum...

Karl Ensign, ASTHO vice president of island support, tells us about ASTHO’s work on the Guam Interagency Business Process Improvement Program to Strengthen Administrative Capacity project; Diana Crumley, former associate director of delivery system...