Rural Health Episodes

1073: Coverage, Consequences, and the Leaders Shaping Public Health’s Future
Feb. 20, 2026

1073: Coverage, Consequences, and the Leaders Shaping Public Health’s Future

What happens when health coverage becomes unaffordable, and who’s stepping up to lead in moments like this? This episode connects two powerful public health stories. First, we break down the ACA enhanced premium tax credits:...
1072: From Rural Dollars to Dinner Plates: Turning Big Federal Policy Into Real Health Gains
Feb. 19, 2026

1072: From Rural Dollars to Dinner Plates: Turning Big Federal Policy Into Real Health Gains

Major federal investments and national guidance can shape the future of public health, but only if states can turn policy into practice. This episode looks at two sweeping developments and the on-the-groundwork required to make them matter. First, Chris Salyers, director of programs and evaluation …
1052: Strengthening Access to Care: Community Health Workers, Medicaid, and Rural Health
Jan. 14, 2026

1052: Strengthening Access to Care: Community Health Workers, Medicaid, and Rural Health

Community health workers (CHWs) play a critical role in bridging the gap between health systems and the communities they serve, especially in rural and underserved areas. In this episode, ASTHO Senior Director of Population Health, Alex Kearly, explains who CHWs are, how they build trust and addres…
1043: PHIG Funds Critical Services in New Hampshire
Dec. 16, 2025

1043: PHIG Funds Critical Services in New Hampshire

In today's PHIG Impact Report, Patricia Tilley, ASTHO member and associate commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, details the critical needs the Public Health Infrastructure Grant has helped address in her state.
1031: Public Health Wins: Reductions in RSV Hospitalizations and Overdose Rates Nationwide
Nov. 24, 2025

1031: Public Health Wins: Reductions in RSV Hospitalizations and Overdose Rates Nationwide

On this Public Health Thank You Day, ASTHO’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Susan Kansagra, joins us to share encouraging news from the front lines of public health. Thanks to increased partnerships with birthing hospitals and the rollout of monoclonal antibodies for infants and the maternal RSV vaccin…
1030: Rural Health in Focus: State Strategies for Transformation
Nov. 19, 2025

1030: Rural Health in Focus: State Strategies for Transformation

In this episode, health leaders from Iowa, Maine and Mississippi share their strategies for revitalizing rural healthcare. We hear excerpts from an ASTHO media briefing featuring ASTHO members as they address the urgent challenges facing millions of rural Americans, including healthcare provider sh…
1025: From The Ground Up: PHIG In Action In Kansas
Nov. 4, 2025

1025: From The Ground Up: PHIG In Action In Kansas

In today's installment of the PHIG Impact Report, Jade Ramsdell, performance improvement director with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), shares how KDHE is using the Public Health Infrastructure Grant (PHIG)...
1024: Best of PHRME: Rural Health Priorities, Nursing Workforce Focus
Nov. 3, 2025

1024: Best of PHRME: Rural Health Priorities, Nursing Workforce Focus

On today’s ‘Best Of PHRME’ episode, ASTHO revisits an interview with Dan Edney, ASTHO member and state health officer with the Mississippi Department of Health, who explains what the state is doing to meet the public health needs of rural communities across the state. This episode also features a s…
1022: AI Assists Data Infrastructure, AmeriCorps Program Helps Rural Population Needs
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 Cente…
1000: Rural Health Transformation Program, Youth Suicide Rates
Sept. 29, 2025

1000: Rural Health Transformation Program, Youth Suicide Rates

Catherine Jones, senior analyst of government affairs at ASTHO, breaks down what states need to know about the application for the Rural Health Transformation Program, and discusses ASTHO’s recent partnership with Cornerstone Government Affairs to host two expert panels on the subject; Dr. Lena Hei…
994: Healthy Aging Tactics, PH Funding on the Hill
Sept. 19, 2025

994: Healthy Aging Tactics, PH Funding on the Hill

JW Randolph, deputy commissioner at the Tennessee Department of Health, shares how his state’s new Office for Healthy Aging has been successful in coordinating statewide efforts to care for Tennessee’s aging communities; Jeffrey Ekoma, ASTHO’s senior director for government affairs, provides an upd…
985: Rural Health Transportation Program, Workplace Communication Skills
Sept. 8, 2025

985: Rural Health Transportation Program, Workplace Communication Skills

Dr. Dan Edney, ASTHO member and state health officer of the Mississippi State Department of Health, and Dr. Susan Kansagra, chief medical officer at ASTHO, discuss the Rural Health Transformation Program and the recent ASTHO panels that covered what states can expect and how some agencies are prepa…
980: New Rural Health Program, Synthetic Opioid Policy Update
Aug. 29, 2025

980: New Rural Health Program, Synthetic Opioid Policy Update

Madison Hluchan, ASTHO assistant director of Medicaid and value-based payment, details how a new ASTHO resource can help your team with the Rural Health Transformation Program; and JoAnne Deehr, ASTHO senior analyst for state health policy, shares prevention and response policies to reduce overdose…
978: PHIG Annual Recipient Convening, Rural Public Health Grants
Aug. 27, 2025

978: PHIG Annual Recipient Convening, Rural Public Health Grants

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...
976: New DELPH Cohort, Global Partnership for Telehealth
Aug. 25, 2025

976: New DELPH Cohort, Global Partnership for Telehealth

Keyonie 'Key' James, reproductive health unit manager with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, shares her takeaways as a recent graduate of ASTHO’s Developing Executive Leaders in Public Health program; Suleima Salgado, CEO of the Global Partnership for Telehealth and principal in…
974: Rural Health Priorities, Nursing Workforce Focus
Aug. 21, 2025

974: Rural Health Priorities, Nursing Workforce Focus

Dr. Dan Edney, ASTHO member and state health officer with the Mississippi Department of Health, explains what the state is doing to meet the public health needs of rural communities across the state; Shirley Orr, executive director for the Association of Public Health Nurses...
942: PHIG Funds Critical Services
July 8, 2025

942: PHIG Funds Critical Services

In today's PHIG Impact Report, Patricia Tilley, associate commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, details the critical needs the Public Health Infrastructure Grant has helped with in her state.
917: World No Tobacco Day, One Big Beautiful Bill Act
May 30, 2025

917: World No Tobacco Day, One Big Beautiful Bill Act

Brian King, executive vice president for U.S. programs at the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, explains how state and local programs are the lifeblood of tobacco prevention; Jeffrey Ekoma, ASTHO's senior director for government affairs, updates us...
892: PH Social Media Tool, Timely STI Testing
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...
874: Federal Funding Update; Transition Feeding Resources
March 31, 2025

874: Federal Funding Update; Transition Feeding Resources

Dr. Susan Kansagra, ASTHO chief medical officer, offers an update on funding after a flurry of activity; Martha Hagen, consultant nutritionist with the Association of State Public Health Nutritionists, explains the cultural focus of new transition...
857: Mathematical Models + PH, States Address Rural Healthcare Issues
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...
853: Insight Net Improves Analytics in Outbreak Forecasting, Comms Toolkit to Build Trust
Feb. 28, 2025

853: Insight Net Improves Analytics in Outbreak Forecasting, Comms Toolkit to Build Trust

Dr. Dylan George, director of the Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics at the CDC, tells us about Insight Net which aims to improve analytics in outbreak forecasting; Mark Miller, vice president of communications at the de Beaumont Foundation,...
849: Revamped Onboarding Shows Results, PHIG Year 2 Success
Feb. 24, 2025

849: Revamped Onboarding Shows Results, PHIG Year 2 Success

Kyle Mangloña, onboarding experience manager at the Washington State Department of Health, tells us about the department’s revamped onboarding program; Lindsey Myers, ASTHO vice president for Public Health Workforce and Infrastructure, gives us an...
848: Historically Large TB Outbreak, Telehealth Call to Action
Feb. 21, 2025

848: Historically Large TB Outbreak, Telehealth Call to Action

Jason Cummins, president of the National Tuberculosis Coalition of America, gives an update on a TB outbreak in Kansas; Dr. Charles Chima, Washington Department of Health chief healthcare innovation and strategy officer, tells us about the “clarion...