Health Policy Update Episodes

July 28, 2026

1174: Medicaid Collaboration and Vector-Borne Disease Policy

ASTHO's Beth Giambrone discusses a recent ASTHO Health Policy Update that discusses how states are approaching vector-borne disease policy. Then, ASTHO"s Orobosa Idehen shares about a new Medicaid Oversight Governance Map.
July 13, 2026

1164: Why States Are Watching the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

ASTHO’s Andy Baker-White, senior director for state health policy, discusses his recent Health Policy Update that focuses on the role of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force in shaping preventive care recommendations and insurance coverage.
June 26, 2026

1154: Public Health Leadership and Innovation in the Islands

On today's episode, ASTHO's Joseph Kanter and Andy Baker-White highlight takeaways from the Executive Leadership Forum and the legislative actions advancing public health in island jurisdictions.
June 9, 2026

1142: Why Immunization Information Systems Matter

On today's episode, ASTHO’s Andy Baker-White explains why Immunization Information Systems are essential to modern public health, and what lawmakers and the public should understand as policy debates continue.
May 1, 2026

1117: Cybersecurity and Public Health Preparedness

On today's episode, ASTHO's Maggie Nilz explains how cyber disruptions are reshaping the foundation of public health systems. She shares how digital infrastructure makes core health functions more vulnerable and what jurisdictions can do to meet these challenges.
March 24, 2026

1092: Building Smarter Suicide Prevention: Policy, Data, and the Role of AI

Suicide remains one of the most urgent and complex public health challenges in the United States, with more than 49,000 lives lost in 2023 alone. In this episode, ASTHO’s director of state health policy, JoAnne Deehr, breaks down how states are responding with more targeted, data-driven strategies.
Feb. 26, 2026

1077: Hypertension, Hill Day, and the Future of Public Health Policy

Today, two conversations highlight how policy shapes public health, both in communities and on Capitol Hill. First, Beth Giambrone, senior analyst for state health policy at ASTHO, explains how states are rethinking their approach to hypertension. From telehealth and remote blood pressure monitoring to expanded insurance coverage, policymakers are leveraging new technology to improve heart health across the lifespan. Later, Jeffrey Ekoma, ASTHO’s senior director of government affairs, shares wha...
Feb. 25, 2026

1076: Measles, Misinformation, and Modern Supplements: Public Health on the Front Lines

On today's episode, ASTHO member Brannon Traxler shares the latest on South Carolina’s measles outbreak response. Then, ASTHO's Heather Tomlinson breaks down the growing presence of kratom in the U.S.
Oct. 30, 2025

1022: AI Assists Data Infrastructure, AmeriCorps Program Helps Rural Population Needs

Lisa Bari, Vice President of Policy and Partnerships at Innovaccer, shares how public health departments can become better prepared to use AI by addressing their underlying data infrastructure; Angela Davis, Project Coordinator with the Montana Office of Rural Health and Area Health Education Center at Montana State University, explains how they developed a statewide AmeriCorps program grounded in health to address the population health needs of the highly rural state; a new ASTHO State Health P...
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,...
404
Sept. 26, 2025

999: Islands Population Health Summit, View From Washington

Halina Palacios, chief operations officer for population health at the Commonwealth Health Care Corporation in the territory of the Northern Mariana Islands, discusses a recent population health summit specifically for Pacific public health teams; Carolyn Mullen, ASTHO’s senior vice president of government affairs and public relations, breaks down how the potential government shutdown could impact access to public health funds...
398
Sept. 18, 2025

993: New World Screwworm, States’ Preparedness Policies

Shalini Nair, senior analyst for infectious disease at ASTHO, tells public health professionals everything they need to know about New World screwworm (NWS), and what to do if their state experiences a case; Maggie Nilz, senior analyst for preparedness at ASTHO, shares information from a new Health Policy Update on public health preparedness for extreme weather events...
360
July 23, 2025

953: Reducing Falls, Disability Data Collection

Amy Ciarlo, senior analyst for chronic disease risk factors at ASTHO, describes ASTHO’s new Health Policy Update on recent legislation focused on limiting the risk of older adult falls; Rebecca Ruvane, senior program analyst at the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, discusses...
352
July 11, 2025

945: Workforce Capacity, BBB Public Health Impacts

Maggie Nilz, senior analyst for preparedness at ASTHO, explains how states can help support public health preparedness workforce resilience and capacity; Carolyn Mullen, senior vice president of government affairs and public relations at ASTHO, shares what Congress has been busy with in this week’s View from Washington, D.C. report...
350
July 9, 2025

943: Mental Health + Overdose Prevention, Island Challenges

Dr. Allison Arwady, director at the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the CDC, details a recent webinar focused on mental health and overdose prevention; Beth Giambrone, ASTHO senior analyst for state health policy, explains..
326
June 2, 2025

918: Tick-Borne Diseases At All-Time High, PH Legislation Roundup

Laura Harrington, professor in the department of entomology at Cornell University and director of the Northeast Regional Center for Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases, explains how public health can combat tick-borne diseases; Beth Giambrone, ASTHO senior analyst for state health policy, discusses public health legislation in states around the country...
319
May 21, 2025

911: Admin. Preparedness Key In Emergencies, Mosquito Control Trends

Julia McIlroy, procurement content manager for the National Association of State Procurement Officials, discusses administrative preparedness for public health emergencies...
512
May 12, 2025

Ep 904: Childhood Obesity Report, States Act on Food Dyes

Rita Condon, program manager for obesity, nutrition, and physical activity with the New Mexico Department of Health, discusses the agency’s annual Childhood Obesity Update and the new initiatives in place to promote healthy eating; Andy Baker-White, senior director for state health policy...
500
April 24, 2025

892: PH Social Media Tool, Timely STI Testing

Adrienne Ammerman, founder and CEO of Arclet, explains how her platform will help health communicators; Amelia Poulin, ASTHO assistant director of emerging infectious disease, breaks down a blog article on what states are doing to combat syphilis and...
478
March 25, 2025

870: Opioid Overdose Declines, Tobacco Roundup

Dr. Sameer Vohra, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health and an ASTHO Member, tells us how Illinois worked to successfully reduce opioid overdoses; and Beth Giambrone, ASTHO senior analyst of state health policy, recaps some of the...
476
March 21, 2025

868: States Address Sepsis, CR Continues Funding PH

Erin Laird, ASTHO director of emerging infections, explains how states are taking action against sepsis; Jeffrey Ekoma, ASTHO senior director for government affairs, tells us how the recently signed continuing resolution affects funding for public...
466
March 6, 2025

857: Mathematical Models + PH, States Address Rural Healthcare Issues

Dr. Spencer Fox, assistant professor at the University of Georgia, explains how a new course on mathematical models could help public health professionals; Dr. Lana McKinney, ASTHO senior policy analyst on the State Health Policy team, tells us how...
453
Feb. 14, 2025

844: Data Modernization Citizens Can Use, Indoor Air Quality

Wesley Kortuem, data analytics section lead at the Arizona Department of Health Services, explains how his team created a comprehensive public health data portal; Abraham Kulungara, senior director for Environmental Health at ASTHO, updates us on the...
447
Feb. 6, 2025

838: Oregon’s Bold Health Goals, Food Deserts

Dr. Sejal Hathi, director of the Oregon Health Authority, tells us that to achieve Oregon’s bold health goals we have to work together; Beth Giambrone, ASTHO senior analyst for State Health Policy, explains how some states are addressing food...