Episodes

May 31, 2024

676: How Tobacco Cultivates Young Customers, Opioid Crisis Solutions

Ellen Cartmell, Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program manager at the Kentucky Department for Public Health, updates us on her state’s tobacco situation for World No Tobacco Day; an ASTHO blog article outlines how your jur…
May 30, 2024

675: Latest Tobacco Concerns, Overdose Data Brings Mixed Results

John Bowman, executive vice president for U.S. Tobacco Programs at the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, sounds the alarm about the tobacco industry’s relentless drive to encourage young people to use their products; Kayley Hu…
May 29, 2024

674: Reporting on Avian Flu, Student Loan Forgiveness Webinar

Helen Branswell, senior writer on Infectious Diseases and Global Health at STAT, reflects on her early coverage of the avian flu virus impacting mostly dairy cows across the country; Betsy Mayotte, president of the Institute…
May 28, 2024

673: ASTHO Reports New PH Policies, Behavioral Health Urgent Care Centers

Maggie Davis, ASTHO director of State Health Policy, updates us on public health policy updates from state legislatures across the country; Kody Kinsley, North Carolina secretary of Health and Human Services, says North Caro…
May 24, 2024

672: Pacific Islands Embrace PHIG Investments, New Dashboard Calculates Heat Risk

ASTHO staff, members, and alumni, discuss a recent meeting focused on the implementation of the Public Health Infrastructure Grant program for the island areas; Dr. Mark Levine, commissioner of Health for the State of Vermon…
May 23, 2024

671: Michigan Mental Health Work, Hawaii Wildfires Environmental Impact

Elizabeth Hertel, director of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, tells us how her department is working to improve mental health; Kathleen Ho, deputy director for Environmental Health with Hawaii’s State D…
May 22, 2024

670: ASTHO Profile Workforce Takeaways, Viral Hepatitis Goals

Dr. JP Leider, Associate Professor in the Division of Health Policy and Management at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, tells us what the ASTHO Profile reveals about the public health workforce; Dr. Caroly…
May 21, 2024

669: Lawmakers Consider PH Priorities, Public Health Strategies for Older Adults

Lillian Colasurdo, ASTHO director of Public Health Law and Data Sharing, tells us about part one of ASTHO’s 2024 Legislative session update; Dr. Katrina Piercy, director of the Division of Prevention Science in the Office of…
May 20, 2024

668: NJ Contraception Case Study, Federal Discussions on Aging

Liz Gipson, senior program officer at the Center for Health Care Strategies, discusses a case study about New Jersey contraception legislation that ASTHO partnered on; Catherine Jones, ASTHO senior analyst for Government Aff…
May 17, 2024

667: Pause to Heal Campaign, House Minority Leadership Meeting

Dr. Sameer Vohra, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, tells us about his state’s “Pause to Heal” campaign; Carolyn Mullen, ASTHO senior vice president of Government Affairs and Public Relations, discusses a…
May 16, 2024

666: Digital Accessibility, Research Guides Healthy Aging Work

Derek Olson, web content manager for the Washington State Department of Health, tells us the importance of digital access and inclusion; Emily Lapayowker, assistant director of Web at ASTHO, says ASTHO has systems to ensure …
May 15, 2024

665: Syphilis Warm Line, Equity Work Recognized

Dr. Maura Quinlan, women's health medical advisor for the Illinois Department of Public Health, describes Illinois’ warm line for syphilis and congenital syphilis cases; Patrick Luces, program coordinator for the NCD Prevent…
May 14, 2024

664: Pharmacy-Based Birth Control Expands, Maternal Mental Health Policy Ideas

Dr. Sally Rafie, founder of Birth Control Pharmacist, says pharmacies are an accessible and private option for those in need of contraceptive care; Joy Burkhard, executive director of the Policy Center for Maternal Mental He…
May 13, 2024

663: Michigan Wildfire Lessons, Empowering Community Health Workers

Aaron Ferguson, manager of the Climate and Tracking Unit in the Division of Environmental Health at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, tells us what Michigan leadership learned when they dealt with unprece…
May 10, 2024

662: Doula Care Gains Support, Helping Mothers Heal

Alex Kearly, ASTHO director of Medicaid and Public Health Partnerships, says doula care is one of the most promising strategies to address maternal health disparities; Kay Matthews, executive director and founder of the Shad…
May 9, 2024

661: PH Adopts EJ Priorities, Health Forecasts Model Weather Service Approach

Anil Nair, director for the Division of Environmental Health Epidemiology within the Department of Health in Pennsylvania, says their state is taking a deeper look at environmental justice; Dr. Dylan George, director of the …
May 8, 2024

660: Retail Food Safety Barriers, Guam Launches Public Health AmeriCorps

Amber Gibbar, health promotion coordinator for the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, says they have been working for years to dismantle communication barriers in retail food safety; Julia Rivera, program director for t…
May 7, 2024

659: Break Free From Burnout; Nurse Workforce Diversification

Omar Khalid, ASTHO director of workforce, tells us about the American Nurses Foundation’s upcoming webinar, “Break Free From Burnout”; Maya Goldman, a healthcare reporter for Axios, discusses her article on the nurse workfor…
May 6, 2024

658: Avian Flu Symposium Takeaways, Adolescent Immunization Toolkit

Dr. Marcus Plescia, ASTHO chief medical officer, elaborates on a blog he authored on takeaways from the recent Avian Flu Symposium; Katelyn Wells, chief research evaluation and development officer for the Association of Immu…
May 3, 2024

657: Nurses Will Discuss Burnout, Proposed Rules on Menthol and Labs

Nyuma Harrison, director of programs at the American Nurses Foundation, explains a webinar about burnout planned as part of National Nurses Week activities; Jeffrey Ekoma, ASTHO's senior director for Government Affairs, and …
May 2, 2024

656: Racism A Public Health Threat, Syndemic Approaches

Dr. Robert Goldstein, commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and an ASTHO member, details his state’s Strategic Plan to Advance Racial Equity; Michelle Van Handel, associate director for the Program an…
May 1, 2024

655: Social Media Interventions, Center Builds Capacity to Help Older Adults

Dr. Jessica Schleider, associate professor of Medical Social Sciences at Northwestern University, says social media platforms are one of the best ways to reach kids in crisis; Josh Hodges, chief customer officer at the Natio…
April 30, 2024

654: Emergency Preparedness Framework Preview, Website Tells PH Stories

Jessica Baggett, senior advisor for public health response at ASTHO, talks about a package of evidence-based strategies outlined in the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice;  Megan Tompkins, director of data mode…
April 29, 2024

653: HPAI National Symposium, 30 Days of Public Health

A national symposium on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, moderated by ASTHO CEO Dr. Joseph Kanter and attended by many ASTHO members, discussed many aspects of the virus; Dr. Janice Phillips, assistant director at the Illi…