The NACCHO Podcast Series: Recent Episodes
NACCHO
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) Podcast Series features in-depth interviews with top public health officials.
On this month's podcast, Lauren Soule, Government Affairs Senior Specialist, and Molly Curington, Government Affairs Associate, discuss tips for meeting with federal elected officials during August recess. Lauren and Molly provide step-by-step guidance on how to request an in-district meeting, what to expect on the day of, and how to prepare effective talking points, including NACCHO's ask to co-sponsor the bipartisan Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment reauthorization bills (H.R. 4445 and S. 4283). Resources mentioned are available through NACCHO's Public Health is Local toolkit, and recordings of past Public Health is Local webinars can be found on NACCHO University. Let us know how your meetings went so we can track your great work and follow up with offices if necessary. The Public Health is Local one-pager is also available for you to bring to your meetings. In addition, Amanda Kwong, the Director of Public Health Communications Collaborative (PHCC) at the de Beaumont Foundation, and Robin Mowson, NACCHO Director of Immunization, discuss the practical tools available for public health communicators' use.
Washington, DC, June 11, 2026 —This month's podcast episode from the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) includes a brief overview of key public health funding included in the House of Representatives' the Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS) Appropriations bill, which was voted out of the subcommittee, has since passed the full committee on a party line vote, setting it up for a vote on the House floor. The Senate version has yet to be released. Speakers also shared resources related to the ongoing Andes virus and Ebola outbreaks, in addition to a New World screwworm detection.
On June 24, NACCHO will host a webinar, "Engaging Your Members of Congress", where participants will learn how they can educate policymakers on the critical role local health departments play in communities and how recent changes at the federal level have impacted public health across the country.
Later in the program (7:56), Tim Wiedrich, Director of the Health Response and Licensure Section at North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services and guest speaker at the 2026 Preparedness Summit, joined the podcast to discuss the state's model for building and deploying a medical cache, which is available to public health agencies and health care entities across the state during and outside of emergencies. Wiedrich explained that this statewide model ensures that, when a need arises, operations such as logistics, transportation, and supply distribution are already aligned across sectors, aiding in a timely and effective response. He also explained that having uniform protocols across jurisdictions, having access to trained staff, and involving stakeholders in the planning process, including local health department and emergency management, are all necessary steps in building a strong system for stockpile management and distribution.
Read more about North Dakota's approach to strengthening response efforts across the state in a special feature by Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO).
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About NACCHO
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the over 3,300 local governmental health departments across the country. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information, visit www.naccho.org.
Washington, DC, May 21, 2026 —This month's podcast episode from the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) includes an update on a series of Congressional hearings where Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), Robert F. Kennedy Jr., testified on the administration's Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) President's Budget Request. The President's budget request outlines the administration's funding priorities and proposed policy changes for the coming fiscal year. While the President's budget is not binding on Congress, it provides an important signal of proposed investments, program eliminations, and structural shifts that could significantly affect public health infrastructure. A full analysis of the administration's FY27 budget request can be reviewed on NACCHO Voice. NACCHO submitted testimony in support of federal public health to the House and Senate, to help inform their work in developing a final FY27 funding law. Updates are also provided on the FY27 Agriculture-FDA spending bill's status, which advanced through the House Appropriations Committee, and would impact key nutrition, tobacco, and regulatory programs.
Later in the program (7:50), Tommy George, Public Health Epidemiology Supervisor at Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department (LLCHD) in Nebraska and guest speaker at the 2026 Preparedness Summit, joins the podcast to discuss the department's wastewater monitoring program. Lancaster County has two wastewater treatment facilities, and both sites recover up to 25 million gallons of water per day. Through LLCHD's WastewaterSCAN system, the team can track several potential public health threats including measles, mpox, and a wide range of respiratory viruses. George shared that the department stays actively engaged with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services by making sure collected data is regularly shared and discussed. As a member of NACCHO's Wastewater Monitoring Mentorship Program, George highlighted innovations and challenges in wastewater monitoring shared by mentees and provided recommendations for starting a new program.
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About NACCHO
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the over 3,300 local governmental health departments across the country. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information, visit www.naccho.org.
Washington, DC, April 30, 2026 —This month's podcast episode from the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) includes an update on the Fiscal Year 2027 President's Budget Request to Congress, and what that proposal would mean for public health funding. While the President's Budget Request is a set of non-binding recommendations that Congress may consider, the releasee of the Request initiates the congressional budget process. Visit NACCHO Voice to read a full analysis. For weekly updates, subscribe to NACCHO's News from Washington newsletter: www.naccho.org/advocacy/news.
Later in the program (12:38), Sara Barra, Director of the Office of Preparedness and Response at the Maryland Department of Health (MDOH) and guest speaker at the 2026 Preparedness Summit, joins the podcast to discuss how the agency prioritizes preparedness efforts across Maryland, emphasizing why sustaining strong multi-sector partnerships is critical to help communities prepare for, withstand, and recover from public health emergencies. MDOH currently has 35 team members in the preparedness office, and each of the state's 24 local health departments operate with preparedness programs. Barra explains that Maryland's preparedness and response systems relies on strategic coordination and regular meetings with several local partners including public health agencies, emergency medical services, hospitals, community providers, specialty care, and law enforcement. She also describes advances and barriers with data sharing, key lessons learned in preparedness planning, and the importance of the Governor's Declaration of Preparedness.
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About NACCHO
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the over 3,300 local governmental health departments across the country. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information, visit www.naccho.org.
Washington, DC, March 20, 2026 —This month's podcast episode from the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) includes an update on NACCHO's Local Public Health on the Hill event, where more than 100 public health professionals from across the country traveled to Washington, DC to meet with their federal elected officials. Participants shared the importance of federal investments in local public health to help communities prepare for emergencies, prevent disease, and improve health outcomes. You can see visuals from the day here. Now that FY 2026 funding is law, NACCHO is focused on securing FY 2027 funding, including through a new action alert for members to engage. New advocacy training modules are now available on NACCHO University and include Engaging with Policy Change, Federal Legislative Process, and Federal Budget and Appropriations. For weekly updates, subscribe to NACCHO's News from Washington newsletter: www.naccho.org/advocacy/news.
Later in the program (6:05), Kelly Warnock, Nutrition Program Manager at Durham County Department of Public Health (DCoDPH) in North Carolina, joins the podcast to discuss how the department works to address food insecurity and the lack of nutritious food options for families with children in Durham County. For nearly a decade, Durham County has identified food access as a public health priority, with more than 1 in 6 families with children experiencing food insecurity. DCoDPH has focused on forming strategic community partnerships to increase education and access to nutrient-dense foods throughout the county. Some of these partnerships include working with early education and childcare centers to improve nutritional programs for underserved families with children under 5, the Durham Public School System to teach nutrition and cooking lessons to more than 30,000 students, and farmers' markets to increase access to healthier food options by implementing a SNAP benefits incentive program called, "Double Bucks."
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About NACCHO
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the over 3,300 local governmental health departments across the country. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information, visit www.naccho.org.
Washington, DC, February 17, 2026 —This month's podcast episode from the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) includes an update on full year Fiscal Year 2026 funding for public health programs that became law earlier this month, including discussion of funding levels and other provisions that could help provide stability to the public health field. NACCHO's analysis of the new law, can be found here: NACCHO Voice. For weekly updates, subscribe to NACCHO's News from Washington newsletter: www.naccho.org/advocacy/news.
Later in the program (6:28), Nalini Padmanabhan, Communications Director at de Beaumont Foundation, joins the podcast to discuss the Foundation's new resource titled, "Communicating about Public Health with Policymakers." The toolkit is designed to support public health professionals in their conversations with local elected officials and policymakers to help elevate the work of local health departments, emphasize the impact of community engagement, and raise important issues affecting public health outcomes.
Washington, DC, January 16, 2026 —This month's podcast episode from the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) includes discussion of significant changes to the U.S. childhood vaccine schedule, announced on January 5 by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). NACCHO issued a joint statement opposed to the change, and published an analysis about what this means for local public health practice. The episode also includes updates on the Rural Health Transformation Program and the status of FY26 federal funding negotiations. For weekly updates, subscribe to NACCHO's News from Washington newsletter: www.naccho.org/advocacy/news.
Later in the program (6:00), Dr. Michael Kilkenny, NACCHO Immediate Past President and Chief Executive Officer and Health Officer for Cabell-Huntington Health Department, discusses how his department is navigating the many changes occurring in public health and offers advice to public health leaders on how to thrive in 2026. Dr. Kilkenny shared that, despite losing funding for their syringe services program in 2025, Cabell-Huntington Health Department remains committed in providing overdose prevention services.
As the 2026 Preparedness Summit approaches in April, Dr. Kilkenny emphasized that emergency preparedness and response start at the local level. At the Cabell-Huntington Health Department, officials are focusing on recruitment and capacity building within their Medical Reserve Corps and are excited to bring responders and community leaders together to discuss efforts to address key public health concerns.
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About NACCHO
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the over 3,300 local governmental health departments across the country. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information, visit www.naccho.org.
Washington, DC, December 12, 2025 —This month's podcast episode from the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) includes discussion of NACCHO's positions on recent actions at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), including changes to CDC's vaccine and autism webpage and the impact of CDC's vaccine advisory panel vote to change its hepatitis B vaccine recommendation for newborns. It also includes an update of efforts to fully fund the federal government FY26, as the Senate is expected to consider a package of additional spending bills that would support important public health programs. Ask your congressional representative to support funding for federal health agencies in the Senate Labor-HHS bill. For weekly updates, subscribe to NACCHO's News from Washington newsletter: www.naccho.org/advocacy/news.
Later in the program (7:10), experts discuss a new journal article titled, Burnout, Belonging, and Mental Well-Being: Predictors of Turnover Intent Among Local Public Health Professionals, published by NACCHO. The article examines how burnout, belonging, and mental well-being can influence turnover and disrupt program services at local health departments, ultimately having direct implications on community health outcomes. NACCHO researchers also offer recommendations to sustain workforce capacity.
In addition, NACCHO published a separate journal article titled, Local Health Department Governance Classifications: Are They Even Important?
This month's podcast episode from the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) provides an update on the deal to end the government shutdown and what's next for federal public health funding, including the need to approve full-year funding for federal health agencies that assist local health departments through the Labor-HHS appropriations bill. They also discuss NACCHO's recent Congressional briefing that featured a panel of local health officials from cities hosting World Cup matches next year, highlighting the work underway to prepare for a safe and secure event. NACCHO also encourages members to ask their congressional representatives to support funding for federal health agencies in the Senate Labor-HHS bill.
For weekly updates, subscribe to NACCHO's News from Washington newsletter: www.naccho.org/advocacy/news.
Later in the program (7:07), Lori Tremmel Freeman, Chief Executive Officer at NACCHO, joins the podcast to discuss the importance of local health departments and how the work of public health professionals improves community health across the country, ahead of Public Health Thank You Day (Monday, November 24). She also discusses her recently co-authored journal article titled, Where Do We Go From Here? The Way Forward for State and Local Public Health, which highlights key strategies to help state and local health departments build stronger public health systems moving forward.
This month's podcast episode from the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) includes discussion on the ongoing federal government shutdown, mass layoffs of federal workers, and potential impacts on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) programs, which could impact local health department services. For weekly updates, subscribe to NACCHO's News from Washington newsletter: www.naccho.org/advocacy/news.
Later in the program (8:15), NACCHO experts discuss how various research studies throughout the year serve as the backbone of what is known about local health departments across the United States. This research is then used in peer-reviewed papers that local health departments can use as resources to strengthen their own planning processes. NACCHO releases seven major national studies, including its two flagship studies, the National Profile of Local Health Departments Study (Profile) and the Forces of Change Survey. Both studies have been conducted for decades, so together they provide a stable, long-term picture and a real-time snapshot of what's changing in local public health. This research is instrumental to contributing to the understanding of local health departments and their needs and is valuable in helping local health departments assess the effectiveness of their health strategies and services.
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About NACCHO
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the over 3,300 local governmental health departments across the country. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information, visit www.naccho.org.
This month’s podcast episode from the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), includes discussion on leadership changes at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the upcoming federal funding deadline, and the House of Representatives’ Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS) Appropriations bill. This legislation was approved by the full House Appropriations Committee on September 9. Additional details are available in NACCHO’s comprehensive analysis of the bill. For weekly updates, subscribe to NACCHO’s News from Washington newsletter: www.naccho.org/advocacy/news.
Later in the program (9:06), NACCHO highlights National Preparedness Month and previews the 2026 Preparedness Summit. The Preparedness Summit, the country’s first and longest-running national conference on public health preparedness, is now accepting abstracts. The theme for next year’s Summit is “Protecting Our Communities: State and Local Preparedness in Action,” focusing on the need for increased self-reliance on state and local partnerships amid a changing federal policy and budget landscape. The Summit will be held April 13-16, 2026, in Baltimore, MD, and registration options are available for in-person or virtual attendance. Abstracts are being accepted for both formats. Learn more at www.preparednesssummit.org.
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About NACCHO
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the over 3,300 local governmental health departments across the country. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information, visit www.naccho.org.
Washington, DC, August 19, 2025 —This month’s podcast episode from the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), includes discussion of the tragic shooting that happened at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s main campus in Atlanta, Georgia. Speakers also provide an update on the Senate’s Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS) Appropriations bill, which made it out of the Senate Appropriations Committee on July 31 with bipartisan support. A comprehensive analysis of the bill was posted on NACCHO’s blog published by the NACCHO Government Affairs team. In addition, they describe a recent action alert sent to NACCHO’s Congressional Action Network urging Congress to ask the Office of Management and Budget to remove restrictions on using certain FY25 public health funds to support health departments. For weekly updates, subscribe to NACCHO’s News from Washington newsletter: www.naccho.org/advocacy/news.
Later in the program (8:51), Sarisa Roe, Research and Evaluation Analyst at the CDC Foundation, discusses the launch of their new resource called Overdose Measures Matter. Operating under the Bloomberg Overdose Prevention Initiative, the Overdose Measures Matter project helps local public health and community leaders understand which interventions are the most effective and helps them focus their efforts to reach populations with the highest need. The project aims to reduce overdoses by identifying what’s working, assessing programs and outcomes over time, and examining progress across communities.
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About NACCHO
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the over 3,300 local governmental health departments across the country. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information, visit www.naccho.org.
On this month’s podcast episode, the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) speakers talk about the recent budget reconciliation bill, which was signed into law this month, and what it means for local health departments. They also discuss the unique features of a budget reconciliation bill and how that differs from the annual appropriations process in Congress. For weekly updates, subscribe to NACCHO’s News from Washington newsletter: www.naccho.org/advocacy/news.
Later in the program (7:23), Commissioner Damōn Chaplin, NACCHO’s new Board President and Health Commissioner for the City of Minneapolis Health Department, discusses how he plans to work with the board to better position NACCHO and local health departments as essential partners in improving the health of people living in American communities. He describes his focus on NACCHO becoming a stronger strategic partner for local health departments by aligning its priorities with long-term challenges facing public health including environmental threats, chronic disease, achieving equitable health outcomes, and emergency preparedness. He explains that the board is made up of leaders with direct, first-hand experience in public health, uniquely positioning them to support local health departments as they navigate pressing challenges from recent funding cuts to a shifting political landscape. Finally, he encourages public health officials to continue moving the field forward by building stronger partnerships and amplifying more community stories.
Washington, DC, June 16, 2025 — On this month’s podcast episode, the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) speakers discuss the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) President’s Budget Request to Congress, including the Administration’s vision for a new department entitled the Administration for a Healthy America (AHA). For more details and updates on the impact of the President’s budget request on local public health, please visit our blog. For weekly updates, subscribe to NACCHO’s News from Washington newsletter: www.naccho.org/advocacy/news.
Later in the program (8:44), Dr. Michael Kilkenny, NACCHO Board President and Chief Executive Officer and Health Officer for Cabell-Huntington Health Department, reflects on his tenure as Board President and offers guidance on shaping the future of public health as he prepares to transition to the Immediate Past President role at the end of this month.
Dr. Kilkenny credits the dedication of the board of directors and staff for contributing to key successes during his tenure, including the largest attendance at NACCHO360 and the Preparedness Summit, strong participation within NACCHO workgroups, and the board staying committed and even more united during challenging times. Dr. Kilkenny calls for local health departments to maintain their unity of purpose and continue leading with empathy and love.
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About NACCHO
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the over 3,300 local governmental health departments across the country. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information, visit www.naccho.org.
Washington, DC, May 16, 2025 — On this month’s podcast episode, the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) speakers discuss the "skinny” version of the President’s Budget Request to Congress for FY26, which provides limited details on the Administrations priorities, and the Congressional hearings that followed its release. They also report out on multiple Congressional hearings over the past month related to biomedical research and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reorganization. For more frequent updates, subscribe to NACCHO’s News from Washington weekly newsletter: www.naccho.org/advocacy/news.
Later in the program (8:39), NACCHO’s Molly Curington, Government Affairs Associate, and Angie McPherson, Senior Website Specialist, discuss the new NACCHO Resource Hub. The platform offers local health departments an easy way to identify tools and resources they can use to strengthen their work. The Hub also provides an opportunity for local health departments to share updates on their programs and initiatives to foster new partnerships.
To learn more about the NACCHO Resource Hub, visit: www.naccho.org/resource-hub.
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About NACCHO
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the over 3,300 local governmental health departments across the country. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information, visit www.naccho.org.
Washington, DC, April 25, 2025 — On this month’s podcast episode, the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) speakers discuss the recent reorganization of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), including significant layoffs of staff working on public health programs, as well as the recently leaked funding “passback” document and what this means for public health. They also share an update on a lawsuit filed by some states against HHS on the clawback of billions of dollars of COVID-era supplemental funding. For more frequent updates, subscribe to NACCHO’s News from Washington weekly newsletter: www.naccho.org/advocacy/news.
Later in the program (7:15), Philip “Phil” Huang, MD, MPH, Director and Health Authority at Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS), and Miranda Grant, a DCHHS Program Manager for the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative, join NACCHO to discuss DCHHS’ efforts to prevent, detect, treat, and respond to HIV in Dallas County and the critical role local public health plays in improving health outcomes.
During the episode, they share the current state of the epidemic in Dallas County, the disproportionate impact on Black and Hispanic communities, the importance of community partnerships in reaching more diverse populations, the promising outlook for a reduction in new cases by 2030, and how fostering community engagement and data-driven planning will help address the epidemic. They highlight their trauma-informed learning collaborative, a county-wide initiative to help reduce workforce burnout and address stigma surrounding HIV. Dallas County has also seen a significant increase in PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) usage with up to 8,000 residents on PrEP in 2023 versus 300 people in 2014. However, without sustainable investments in HIV prevention, Dallas County faces a growing crisis in its communities and an economic strain – each HIV case prevented saves an estimated $420,000 in lifetime costs. Sign up for NACCHO’s HIV, STI, Viral Hepatitis, and Harm Reduction Digest.
NACCHO’s Podcast from Washington: How Lubbock Public Health is Responding to the Measles Outbreak in Texas
Washington, DC, March 21, 2025 — On this month’s podcast episode, the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) discuss last week’s Continuing Resolution that provides funds for the federal government through the end of Fiscal Year 2025, updates on the budget reconciliation process—including how it could potentially impact Medicaid—and updates on the confirmation hearings for HHS agency nominees. Subscribe to NACCHO’s News from Washington weekly newsletter: www.naccho.org/advocacy/news.
Later in the program (9:15), Katherine Wells, DrPH, Director of Lubbock Public Health in Texas, joins NACCHO to discuss the recent measles outbreak in the United States and initiatives they have implemented to slow the spread in Texas. As of March 20, 2025, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported a total of 378 measles cases in 18 different jurisdictions, surpassing the total number of measles cases in the United States in 2024. As of March 21, 2025, Texas reported a total of 309 confirmed measles cases, with 40 hospitalizations. For recent updates on the measles outbreak and to view helpful resources, visit: NACCHO’s Blog: 2025 Measles Outbreaks.
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About NACCHO
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the over 3,300 local governmental health departments across the country. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information, visit www.naccho.org.
Washington, DC, February 14, 2025 — On this month’s podcast episode, the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) discusses the current administration’s executive actions related to public health, shares updates on Fiscal Year 2025 federal funding and the budget reconciliation process, and provides an update on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s confirmation as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. To get more public health policy updates, subscribe to NACCHO’s News from Washington weekly newsletter: www.naccho.org/advocacy/news.
Later in the program (9:06), NACCHO announces the release of the new Profile Study Dashboard. The interactive dashboard offers nationwide data about the country’s local health departments’ infrastructure and activities. The data presented is collected from NACCHO’s national profile study, the largest and most comprehensive data source on local health department funding, staffing, and partnerships. Users can explore key features like data stories and shareable content to enhance communication efforts and promote public health action.
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About NACCHO
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the over 3,300 local governmental health departments across the country. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information, visit www.naccho.org.
Washington, DC, January 30, 2025 — On this podcast episode, the National Association of County and City Health Officials’ (NACCHO) Director of Government Affairs, Victoria Van de Vate, and Government Affairs Senior Specialist, Lauren Soule discuss updates on the 119th Congress and committee leadership, FY25 funding, Senate confirmation hearings, and new Presidential executive orders related to public health activities. To get more public health policy updates and to subscribe to NACCHO’s News from Washington weekly newsletter, visit: www.naccho.org/advocacy/news. Contact us at govtaffairs@naccho.org.
Later in the program (8:35), Nicholas Adams, Senior Program Analyst for Environmental Health at NACCHO, concludes the five-part Food Safety series by reviewing the resources and programs shared by previous guests and highlighting NACCHO projects that support local food safety. Nicholas discusses how initiatives like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards, the NEHA-FDA Retail Flexible Funding Model, Retail Program Standards Networks, Oral Learner Train the Trainer Program, and the Council to Improve Foodborne Illness Outbreak Response provide local health departments with the tools to create a safer food system and have a voice in national food safety conversations.
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About NACCHO
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the over 3,300 local governmental health departments across the country. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information, visit www.naccho.org.
Washington, DC, December 12, 2024 — On this podcast episode, the National Association of County and City Health Officials’ (NACCHO) Director of Government Affairs, Victoria Van de Vate, welcomes Kevin Sumner, Health Officer and Director at Middle-Brook Regional Health Commission in New Jersey to discuss his experience with advocacy on behalf of local public health. He is a former President of NACCHO’s Board of Directors and has worked for over 35 years in varying capacities including as an environmental health specialist, health educator, and health officer. He is also a former President of the New Jersey Health Officers Association and created the Public Health Associations Collaborative Effort. To get more public health policy updates and to subscribe to NACCHO’s weekly newsletter, visit: www.naccho.org/advocacy.
Later in the program (21:35), Nicholas Adams, Senior Program Analyst for Environmental Health at NACCHO, is joined by Traci Stevens, Environmental Health Specialist at Richmond County Health Department in North Carolina. In this fourth installment of NACCHO’s five-part Food Safety podcast series, they discuss how Richmond County Health Department ensures their retail food safety programs are sustainable. The programs were recently awarded the 2024 Samuel J. Crumbine Consumer Protection Award for their excellence in food safety practices at the local level.
Washington, DC, November 21, 2024 — On this podcast episode, the National Association of County and City Health Officials’ (NACCHO) Director of Government Affairs, Victoria Van de Vate, and Lauren Soule, Government Affairs Senior Specialist, discuss the results of the 2024 presidential election, share NACCHO’s recommendations for the next administration and 119th Congress, and provide an update on the ongoing federal FY25 budget negotiations. To get more updates and to subscribe to NACCHO’s weekly newsletter, visit: www.naccho.org/advocacy.
Later in the program (7:23), Nicholas Adams, Senior Program Analyst on NACCHO’s Food Safety Team, is joined by Melissa Ham, who served as a senior consultant with Wake County Environmental Services in North Carolina. In this third installment of NACCHO’s five-part Food Safety podcast series, they discuss efforts to address foodborne illnesses through retail food programs and how the work from the Retail Program Standards Network in North Carolina, a network of local health departments in partnership with the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has impacted retail food safety work on the local level.
Note: Since the time of the interview, Melissa Ham has moved to a new role as Registered Environmental Health Specialist for Hoke County Environmental Health.
Washington, DC, October 17, 2024 — On this podcast episode, the National Association of County and City Health Officials’ (NACCHO) Director of Government Affairs, Victoria Van de Vate, and Lauren Soule, Government Affairs Senior Specialist, provide insights into federal funding now that Congress is out of session until after the election. They also discuss a recent Coalition to Stop Flu congressional briefing featuring NACCHO member Dr. Dianna Abney, Health Officer at the Charles County Health Department in Maryland, a 30th anniversary of the Vaccines for Children Program event featuring NACCHO’s Board President Dr. Michael Kilkenny, and an open letter from NACCHO CEO Lori Tremmel Freeman to local health departments impacted by the recent hurricanes. For more updates and to subscribe to NACCHO’s weekly newsletter, visit: www.naccho.org/advocacy.
Later in the program (5:03), in this second installment of a five-part Food Safety series, Nicholas Adams, Senior Program Analyst on NACCHO’s Food Safety Team, is joined by Lane Drager, Consumer Protection Program Coordinator at Boulder County Public Health in Boulder County, Colorado. Boulder County has served for several years as a mentor for NACCHO’s Food Safety Mentorship Program under the NEHA-FDA Retail Flexible Funding Model, NACCHO’s Food Safety Workgroup, and with the Council to Improve Foodborne Illness Outbreak Response. In their conversation, Drager discusses Boulder County Environmental Health Division’s oral learner train the trainer program that provides essential food safety training to retail food service staff, regardless of their spoken language. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, retail food establishments experienced a significant labor shortage that led to burnout and high turnover. The labor shortage forced establishments to hire staff inexperienced in food handling and in recent years, it has been critical for local health departments to update their education and training programs to teach proper food handling practices and information on food safety to a wider audience. Drager also shared the improvements in Boulder County’s food safety management systems that can help inform other local health departments in their food safety work.
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About NACCHO
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the over 3,300 local governmental health departments across the country. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information, visit www.naccho.org.
Washington, DC, September 19, 2024 — On this podcast episode, the National Association of County and City Health Officials’ (NACCHO) Director of Government Affairs, Victoria Van de Vate, and Lauren Mastroberardino, Government Affairs Senior Specialist, provide an outlook for federal funding this fall, as the deadline approaches. They also discuss the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee hearing titled, “Investing in a Healthier America: Chronic Disease Prevention and Treatment. For more updates and to subscribe to the weekly newsletter, visit: www.naccho.org/advocacy.
Later in the program (7:08), Nicholas Adams, Senior Program Analyst on NACCHO’s Food Safety Team, is joined by Amanda Anderson, Consumer Health and Food Safety Manager at the Pima County Health Department in Arizona — and a member of the 2024 Cohort of NACCHO’s Food Safety Mentorship Program under the NEHA-FDA Retail Flexible Funding Model Grant Program. In this pilot episode of a five-part Food Safety series, Anderson shares how Pima County’s processes for monitoring and responding to foodborne illness outbreaks has significantly improved due to their work on Standard 5 of the FDA’s Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards and with the Council to Improve Foodborne Illness Outbreak Response. The discussion is focused around improving and utilizing a data-driven foodborne illness tracking program that has made major impacts in Pima County’s efforts to respond to outbreaks.
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About NACCHO
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the over 3,300 local governmental health departments across the country. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information, visit www.naccho.org.
Washington, DC, September 12, 2024 — On this special podcast episode, the National Association of County and City Health Officials’ (NACCHO) Director of Government Affairs, Victoria Van de Vate, welcomes special guest Eric McNulty, Associate Director of the National Preparedness Leadership Initiative at Harvard University, for a bonus episode on best practices to implement for effective preparedness work on the local level. September is National Preparedness Month, and every year NACCHO reinforces the importance of preparing for emergencies and disasters in order to keep families and communities safe.
During this episode, McNulty shares key approaches that public health officials can apply to build trust in their communities, which is essential in any crisis. As McNulty describes, public health officials can position themselves as a trusted voice by engaging in day-to-day conversations with their communities, lead through complexities by identifying the disconnect in a crisis, and make it a daily practice to strengthen communications outreach plans that are relatable and easy to grasp. It is also important to prioritize a crisis recovery plan when preparing for the next public health emergency. Early next year, NACCHO will convene at the 2025 Preparedness Summit, which aims to explore this topic further through the theme of “Pathways to Recovery in the Aftermath of Disasters.” For more information on how to obtain a media pass for the 2025 Preparedness Summit please contact lharley@naccho.org – limited passes are available.
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About NACCHO
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the over 3,300 local governmental health departments across the country. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information, visit www.naccho.org.
Washington, DC, August 23, 2024 — On this month’s podcast, the National Association of County and City Health Officials’ (NACCHO) Victoria Van de Vate, Director of Government Affairs, and Lauren Mastroberardino, Government Affairs Senior Specialist, provided an outlook for federal funding this fall, amid the summer Congressional recess and the upcoming election season. They also discussed the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) Senate Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill (also known as the Labor-HHS bill), and how that sets up possible funding negotiations later this year. For more updates and to subscribe to the weekly newsletter, visit: www.naccho.org/advocacy.
Later in the program (6:34), NACCHO’s Victoria Van de Vate, Director of Government Affairs, and Meghan Shea, Senior Program Analyst - Informatics, discussed key findings from NACCHO’s 2024 Public Health Informatics Profile. The first-of-its-kind assessment fills a key gap in our nation’s understanding of the information science workforce, data systems, and the overall scope of informatics at the local public health level. The findings illuminate a wide picture of informatics and data modernization efforts across the country. Notably, key findings show that while over half of local health departments are working on data modernization initiatives, most are doing so without a dedicated informatics team or department. There is also a high level of interest in using AI, with over half of local health departments interested in adapting AI or machine learning into their work.
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About NACCHO
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the over 3,300 local governmental health departments across the country. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information, visit www.naccho.org.
Washington, DC, July 12, 2024 — On this month’s podcast, the National Association of County and City Health Officials’ (NACCHO) Victoria Van de Vate, Director of Government Affairs, and Lauren Mastroberardino, Government Affairs Senior Specialist, discussed the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) House Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill (also known as the Labor-HHS bill). The bill covers topline dollar amounts for key public health agencies as well as programs important to local health departments. For more updates and to subscribe to the weekly newsletter, visit: www.naccho.org/advocacy.
Later in the program (6:26), NACCHO’s Kellie Hall, Director of Data Communications; Robin Mowson, Director of Immunization; and Amy Maxson, Senior Program Analyst, discussed key findings from the 2023 Immunization Profile Study released last month. The report shows that half of local health departments reported limited staffing as a key challenge in conducting immunization-related services, despite the recent growth in the overall workforce driven by COVID-related funding. Local health departments have improved access to routine immunizations by expanding clinics in community settings and fostering partnerships with healthcare providers or community leaders. Despite the increased activities to expand access, 82% of local health departments still reported that vaccine hesitancy was a barrier to conducting immunization-related activities.
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About NACCHO
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the over 3,300 local governmental health departments across the country. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information, visit www.naccho.org.
Washington, DC, June 14, 2024 — On this month’s podcast, the National Association of County and City Health Officials’ (NACCHO) Victoria Van de Vate, Director of Government Affairs, and Lauren Mastroberardino, Government Affairs Senior Specialist, provided an outlook on the Fiscal Year 2025 federal funding landscape and the implications for local public health.
Later in the program (5:02), NACCHO’s Kellie Hall, Director of Data Communications; David Okereke, Senior Research Specialist; Victoria Van de Vate, Director of Government Affairs; and Meghan Shea, Senior Program Analyst for Informatics, discussed important research findings from NACCHO’s 2023 Forces of Change Survey, which assesses changes in local health department infrastructure driven by public health trends. The recently released report describes local health department billing capacity, the use and growth of the community health worker workforce, social determinants of health activities, and data modernization efforts.
To learn more about the findings from the 2023 Forces of Change Survey, visit www.naccho.org/forces.
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About NACCHO
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the over 3,300 local governmental health departments across the country. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information, visit www.naccho.org.
Washington, DC, May 17, 2024 — On this month’s podcast, the National Association of County and City Health Officials’ (NACCHO) Adriane Casalotti, Chief of Government and Public Affairs, and Victoria Van de Vate, Director of Government Affairs discussed the current status of the H5N1 avian “bird” flu outbreak in dairy cattle and the situation on coordinating a federal-level response, from making personal protective equipment (PPE) readily available to testing livestock and farmworkers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that local health departments connect individuals to testing if they observe an increase in sick animals and farmworkers, utilize CDC communication resources, and ensure that farms and farmworkers have access to PPE.
Later in the program (13:24), Elana Filipos, Program Analyst on the Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health team at NACCHO, and Mary “Maret” Wachira, Health Educator Consultant and IBCLC at the Florida Department of Health in Citrus County (DOH-Citrus), discussed how DOH-Citrus initiated a pilot program to provide prenatal care and treatment for pregnant people with substance use disorders (SUDs). Drug overdose deaths in pregnant and postpartum women increased significantly between early 2018 to late 2021, according to a recent study by researchers at the National Institute on Drug Abuse at the National Institutes of Health. However, pregnant people seeking support for an SUD during the perinatal period may face stigmatizing barriers to care that prevent them from accessing medical treatment and behavioral interventions. To address this growing public health concern, DOH-Citrus implemented a holistic prenatal care service model that incorporates Medication for Opioid Use Disorder services and mental health counseling during routine prenatal care appointments to improve outcomes for pregnant people and infants in their community.
Learn more about the Citrus County program via a journal article published in the Maternal and Child Health Journal, titled “Addressing Perinatal Opioid Use at a Local Health Department in Florida.”
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About NACCHO
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the over 3,300 local governmental health departments across the country. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information, visit www.naccho.org.
Washington, DC, April 19, 2024 — On this month’s podcast, the National Association of County and City Health Officials’ (NACCHO) Victoria Van de Vate, Director of Government Affairs, and Lauren Mastroberardino, Government Affairs Senior Specialist, spoke about recent changes to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program and final FY2024 funding amounts for Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, which include programs and agencies crucial for public health. Sign up here to receive our Congressional Action Alerts.
Later in the program (5:14), Emily Winkelstein, Director of Overdose Prevention at NACCHO, and Dr. Michael Kilkenny, Chief Executive of the Cabell-Huntington Health Department in West Virginia and incoming NACCHO President, discussed efforts to advance evidence-based overdose prevention initiatives on a local level, with a focus on communities particularly hard-hit by overdose. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released its overdose mortality data for 2022 showing that while fatal overdose rates remained somewhat stable between 2021 and 2022, the number of fatal overdoses had claimed the lives of 107,941 peope in 2022. The data also shows that synthetic opioids combined with stimulants, coming from supply contamination, polysubstance use, or both, are drivers in the fourth wave of the overdose crisis. Dr. Kilkenny discussed some of the harm reduction strategies his jurisdiction has implemented, the importance of using a holistic approach to substance use that centers dignity and respect for people who use drugs, and why using data to understand the scope and needs of the communities most impacted will help address the overdose crisis.
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About NACCHO
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the country’s over 3,300 local governmental health departments. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information about NACCHO, please visit www.naccho.org.
Washington, DC, March 22, 2024 — On this month’s podcast, the National Association of County and City Health Officials’ (NACCHO) Victoria Van de Vate, Director of Government Affairs, and Lauren Mastroberardino, Government Affairs Senior Specialist, recapped NACCHO’s annual Local Public Health on the Hill event, which engaged over 100 Congressional Offices on key policy and funding needs of local health departments. Later, they discussed the release of President Biden’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 budget proposal. Learn more about the Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Program, and read NACCHO’s blog post, “White House Release President’s Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Proposal.”
Later in the program (6:21), Robin Mowson, Director of Immunization at NACCHO, and Amber Tirmal, Immunization Program Manager at the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, discussed the recent measles outbreak in the United States and initiatives they have implemented to prevent another spread in Philadelphia. As of March 14, 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported 58 measles cases in 17 different states, matching the total number of U.S. cases reported in 2023. Earlier this year, Philadelphia had eight confirmed cases. Now that their outbreak is over, they continue to focus their efforts on using data-driven approaches to identify and address lower pockets of vaccination coverage, educating communities on vaccine health and building key partnerships, specifically with the local school district. Listen to the episode and read NACCHO’s new blog on the measles outbreak.
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About NACCHO
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the country’s over 3,300 local governmental health departments. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information about NACCHO, please visit www.naccho.org.
On this month’s podcast, the National Association of County and City Health Officials’ (NACCHO) Lauren Mastroberardino, Government Affairs Senior Specialist, gives an update on the FY2024 appropriations negotiations and what to expect from Congress.
Later in the program (2:36), Timothy McCall, NACCHO’s Director of Research, was joined by NACCHO staff, Adriane Casalotti, Chief of Government and Public Affairs, and Victoria Van de Vate, Director of Government Affairs, to discuss on the recent release of the 2022 National Profile of Local Health Departments (Profile Study).
The Profile Study represents the largest and most reliable data source on local health department infrastructure and practice. In their conversation, they dig into key findings about the current local health department workforce, including that more than 70% of local health departments reported that their agency, leadership, or personnel experienced harassment because of COVID-19 response activities. They also discussed the most recent data on the size of the local health department workforce and the context that likely contributed to it, as an influx of funding during the pandemic helped bolster the workforce to grow by 19%. They note that this increase is almost certainly short-lived without additional, long-term investment in the local health department workforce.
With the new Profile data now published, the group also discussed how these data are being used to help drive NACCHO’s policy advocacy at the federal level. One of NACCHO’s top priorities is to support all local health departments and serve staff at all levels by advocating for funding to support new positions, improve recruiting efforts with the Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment program, and boost retention by providing key training, support, and professional development opportunities for local health department staff.
On this week’s podcast, the National Association of County and City Health Officials’ Victoria Van de Vate, Director of Government Affairs, and Lauren Mastroberardino, Government Affairs Senior Specialist, cover the appropriations process and give an update on government funding, including rescissions of unobligated funds. They also discuss NACCHO’s 2024 legislative and policy agenda, highlighting this year’s most important issues for local public health.
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On this week’s podcast, the National Association of County and City Health Officials’ Victoria Van de Vate, Director of Government Affairs, and Lauren Mastroberardino, Government Affairs Senior Specialist, provided a Congressional update on upcoming government funding challenges. They also discussed recent letters that NACCHO sent to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion on Healthy People 2030 objectives and to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division of STD Prevention about its proposed guidelines on the use of doxycycline as post-exposure prophylaxis to prevent STI transmission.
Later in the program (4:50), Timothy McCall, NACCHO’s Director of Research, hosted a discussion with co-authors Rita Burke, Associate Professor of Clinical Population and Public Health Sciences and Pediatrics at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine; Larissa Chiari-Keith, Chief Executive Officer of Alala Advisors; and Emma Hunter, Health Emergency Preparedness Analyst at San Mateo County Health, to talk about their recently published qualitative analysis of California public health officials’ experiences of harassment during COVID-19.
NACCHO's Forces of Change survey found that 60% of local health departments reported their agency, leadership, and/or staff were targeted with harassment during the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, one study found that 20% of Americans felt that harassing public health leaders was justified early in the pandemic; this rose to 25% in 2021. Even though this harassment crisis surfaced three years ago, the impacts on individuals, communities, and the public health system persist.
NACCHO is drawing attention to this urgent issue. The study aimed to collect qualitative data highlighting the harrowing stories from local health officials and to better understand their experiences of harassment. The pandemic not only exposed vulnerabilities in the public health and healthcare system, but it also subjected local health officials to psychological impacts, systemic backlash, and burnout.
On this week's podcast, the National Association of County and City Health Officials' Victoria Van de Vate, Director of Government Affiars, and Lauren Mastroberardino, Government Affairs Senior Specialist, provided an update on the new "laddered" Continuing Resolution, which created two funding deadlines in early 2024 and avoided an end-of-year government shutdown. They gave an analysis on the House Labor-HHS bill. Also, Mastroberardino and Van de Vate discussed NACCHO's recent response to an RFI from Senator Bill Cassidy on modernizing the CDC as well as a letter that NACCHO sent to the White House Drug Shortage Task Force urging them to prioritize the Bicillin L-A shortage, which is the only treatement available to pregnant individuals with syphilis.
Later in the program (6:08), NACCHO Senior Program Analyst Bianca Lawrence spoke with Susan Tilgner, Executive Director at Ohio Public Health Partnership, and Belinda Leslie, an Administrator with the Portsmouth City Health Department in Portsmouth, Ohio, who are using performance improvement to build the ability of local health departments to improve the quality of their operations and programming and make sure that they meet national public health standards. Ohio Public Health Partnership has participated in the Statewide Association Performance Improvement Training and Technical Assistance Support Initiative to provide tailored accreditation support to local health departments in Ohio, such as Portsmouth City, through their Accreditation Learning Community. Accreditation, like many performance improvement programs, assist local governmental public health in improving their organizational infrastructure so that they can better support all people in their community to live their healthiest lives. Tilgner and Leslie discuss the unique opportunity provided by the Accreditation Learning Community to develop meaningful performance metrics and network with local health department peers in Ohio to learn best practices for accreditation and performance improvement.
On this week’s podcast, the National Association of County and City Health Officials’ Adriane Casalotti, Chief of Government and Public Affairs and Lauren Mastroberardino, Government Affairs Senior Specialist welcome Victoria Van de Vate, NACCHO’s new Director of Government Affairs. The team provided an update on government funding and the newly elected Speaker of the House of Representatives. They also discussed a letter that NACCHO and 110 other public health organizations sent to the Senate opposing a proposal to cut $980 million from the Prevention and Public Health Fund, also known as the Prevention Fund, in order to provide funding for the Primary Care and Health Workforce Act.
Later in the program (9:17), NACCHO Senior Program Analyst Francis Higgins spoke with two representatives from local health departments that are doing overdose prevention work: Sixto Aguirre, a CPSW/Case Manager II, Peer Supported Probation at the Rio Arriba Department of Health and Human Services in New Mexico, and Seth Dewey, a Health Educator at the Reno County Health Department in Kansas. Both are NACCHO overdose prevention award recipients. Nearly 110,000 Americans died of overdose in 2022. Aguirre and Dewey discussed their lived experiences, how they got connected to their overdose prevention work, and what their local health departments are doing in response to the crisis. Local health departments are integrating people with lived and living experience into overdose prevention work to strengthen their activities and the communities they serve. Also, they are working with community partners to promote the health and safety of people who use drugs, to support folks who are interacting with the criminal legal system, and to prevent overdose.
On this week’s podcast, the National Association of County and City Health Officials’ Adriane Casalotti, Chief of Government and Public Affairs, and Lauren Mastroberardino, Government Affairs Senior Specialist, provided an outlook on government funding as August recess has ended and Congress is back in session. They spoke about the possibility of a government shutdown or continuing resolution as the fiscal year ends on September 30. Also, Casalotti and Mastroberardino discussed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention endorsement of updated COVID-19 vaccine formulations that will be available as rates of respiratory infections increase this fall.
Later in the program (8:13), NACCHO Communications Specialist Beth Hess spoke with Deb Kramer, Deputy Assistant Secretary and Director of the Office of Preparedness within the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. During this, National Preparedness Month, they discussed the importance of preparedness both nationally and locally. Kramer also talked about the role of the Medical Reserve Corps in community response, its impact over the past 21 years, and her vision for the program moving forward.
On this week’s podcast, Adriane Casalotti, Chief of Government and Public Affairs, and Lauren Mastroberardino, Government Affairs Senior Specialist, provide an update on the appropriations process, as Congress has adjourned for August recess before making a lot of progress on crucial public health legislation. Casalotti covers House and Senate Labor-HHS appropriations, discussing major differences between both bills and the outlook for fall. Mastroberardino discusses the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA) reauthorization, providing insight into political differences in the House and Senate versions of the legislation and potential roadblocks.
Later in the program, NACCHO Communications Specialist Beth Hess spoke with Neil Brockway, Director of Disaster Risk Reduction at the American Red Cross. Brockway joined the 2023 Preparedness Summit in April as one of the plenary speakers on the topic of empowering resilient communities. They discussed the American Red Cross' Community Adaptation Program and how it works to build community resilience. The program concludes with an invitation to submit abstracts for the 2024 Preparedness Summit.
On this week’s Podcast from Washington, Adriane Casalotti, Chief of Government and Public Affairs and Lauren Mastroberardino, Government Affairs Senior Specialist, provide an update on the appropriations process. Casalotti covers House and Senate topline funding amounts and discusses implications for public health. Mastroberardino discusses the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA) reauthorization and provides updates from Congress. She also talks about Dr. Rochelle Walensky’s departure from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and President Biden’s new appointee, Mandy Cohen. Casalotti provides detail about recent Capitol Hill testimony provided by NACCHO members, and finally, invites NACCHO members to attend Government Affairs’ NACCHO360 session, “Informing Public Health Policy in a Complex Political Climate,” on Wednesday, July 12 at the conference in Denver or over the livestream.
Later in the program, NACCHO Communications Specialist Beth Hess spoke with Daniel Aldrich, PhD, Professor of Political Science, Public Policy and Urban Affairs, Northeastern University. Aldrich joined the 2023 Preparedness Summit in April as one of the plenary speakers on the topic of empowering resilient communities. They discussed the importance of social capital—the networks of relationships among people who live and work in a particular society—and the role it plays in empowering communities to thrive.
In this week’s podcast, the National Association of County and City Health Officials’ Adriane Casalotti, Chief of Government and Public Affairs, and Lauren Mastroberardino, Government Affairs Senior Specialist, provided an update on the debt ceiling, which has been suspended until January 1, 2025, as well as detail on some of the spending limits and claw-backs of previously appropriated funds. They also discussed Dr. Rochelle Walensky’s announced departure from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, provided updates on the reauthorization of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), and examined the reestablishment of the bipartisan Congressional Caucus to End the Youth Vaping Epidemic.
Later in the program, NACCHO Communications Specialist Beth Hess spoke with Dr. Mary-Margaret Fill, Deputy State Epidemiologist for the Tennessee Department of Health. Dr. Fill joined the 2023 Preparedness Summit in April as one of the plenary speakers on the topic of One Health. One Health is a collaborative and transdisciplinary approach of achieving optimal health by recognizing the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment. They discussed the importance of integrating One Health in ongoing prevention, detection, preparedness, and response initiatives and how local public health professionals can incorporate One Health in their planning and response activities.
In this week’s podcast, the National Association of County and City Health Officials’ Government Affairs team members Kerry Allen and Lauren Mastroberardino provided an update on the Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations process in Congress, including how the debt ceiling negotiations may factor in, as well as ongoing congressional investigations into COVID-19 origins. They also talked about the Food and Drug Administration’s move to make opioid reversal medication naloxone available over the counter. Since the Public Health Emergency ends on May 11, Allen provided insight into emerging details from federal agencies about the new landscape of COVID-19 response. Mastroberardino spoke about her experience at the 2023 Preparedness Summit, organized by NACCHO, and discussed her key takeaways and reflections from the largest gathering of public health and preparedness leaders.
Later in the podcast, Ramona Poblete, a Program Analyst at NACCHO, spoke with Rear Admiral Paul Reed, Director of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service’s Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, and Glenda Redeemer, MSN, Chronic Disease Prevention Division Manager at Tarrant County Public Health Department in Texas, for a discussion on Healthy People 2030’s Leading Health Indicators.
The Healthy People Initiative serves as the nation’s plan for addressing our most critical public health priorities and challenges. Their discussion explored how local health officials can use the Leading Health Indicators in their work to achieve successful health outcomes in their communities. Learn more about Healthy People tools, features, and partnership initiatives such as the Healthy People 2030 Champion Program.
In this week’s podcast, the National Association of County and City Health Officials’ Government Affairs team members Kerry Allen and Lauren Mastroberardino provided highlights from this year’s Local Public Health on the Hill event, where more than 100 public health leaders met with 120 members of Congress spanning 30 states. In the midst of our in-person and virtual Hill meetings, President Biden released his Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Request, which contained requests for increased funding for programs at the Department of Health and Human Services. Allen and Mastroberardino also discussed proposed new programs to address pandemic preparedness and adult vaccine access; NACCHO’s recent advocacy actions, which will continue throughout the appropriations process; and NACCHO's work to inform legislative efforts underway in Congress to bolster the health workforce and reauthorize the Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA).
Later in the program, Nicholas Holmes of NACCHO’s Immunization Team spoke with Kate Guzman, the administrator of medical services for the Oakland County Health Division, in Pontiac, Michigan and Carolina Sisiruca, health educator with Centro Multicultural La Familia, about using radio to reach English and Spanish speakers about the importance of COVID-19 vaccinations and other immunizations. They are the developers and co-hosts of the Oakland County Health radio broadcast show – a public health program that has caught the attention of NPR leaders and has captivated audiences with public health content that empowers listeners to make informed decisions to improve and protect their health and wellbeing.
On this month’s podcast, NACCHO Government Affairs team members Kerry Allen and Lauren Mastroberardino recap key provisions in the omnibus spending bill Congress passed at the end of 2022. Most exciting to NACCHO, the bill reauthorized the Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Program, which once operationalized will offer loan repayment to public health professionals who agree to serve three years at a local, state, or Tribal health department. They also reflect on the beginning of the 118th Congress, highlighting recent committee hearings and votes in the House related to rolling back COVID-19 related policies. Kerry and Lauren also talk about NACCHO’s 2023 Federal Legislative and Policy Agenda and remind listeners about the upcoming virtual Public Health on the Hill event on March 6-10.
Later in the program, Victoria Freire, NACCHO’s Senior Program Analyst of Rural Health, spoke to Ron Sprong, the Community Health Manager, Mental Health First Aid instructor and Peer Recovery Specialist at Greene County Health Department in Carrolton, Illinois.
NACCHO has just launched its Rural and Frontier Public Health section of the website, and in recognition of the unique challenges that rural and frontier health departments have, in today’s interview Sprong discusses rural health department’s activities in operations, community health and emergency preparedness.
In this week’s podcast, Kerry Allen welcomes a new member to the NACCHO Government Affairs team, Lauren Mastroberardino. Kerry and Lauren provide an update on mid-term election outcomes and implications for the upcoming year, which will see divided government in Washington. Congress is back for a lame-duck session, and Kerry and Lauren cover ongoing Fiscal Year 2023 appropriations considerations. They also discuss NACCHO’s advocacy to pass the Public Health Loan Repayment Program in end-of-year legislation, including how members can take action to urge their members of Congress to support the program. They celebrate the CDC’s recent announcement of over $3 billion in first-of-its-kind funding directly to local, state, and territorial jurisdictions to support public health workforce and infrastructure. Finally, the team encourages listeners to save the date for NACCHO’s Virtual Hill Week, which will be held March 6-10.
Later in the program, Hassanatu Blake, NACCHO’s Director of Health Equity and Social Justice, speaks with Dr. Simbo Ige, Assistant Commissioner for the Bureau of Health Equity and Capacity Building at the New York City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene about the continued need to push health equity in practice despite the wind down of federal funding for COVID programming. As our country continues to reflect on the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hassanatu and Dr. Ige discuss how local health departments are rethinking how health inequities are addressed in public health practice. They also talk about the $2.25 billion Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Initiative to Address COVID-19 Health Disparities Among Populations at High-Risk and Underserved, Including Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations and Rural Communities monumental grant and how it has supported New York City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s systematic approaches to addressing health inequities. Lastly, Dr. Ige shares with listeners crucial information to follow and support New York City Department of Health’s equity work.
In this week’s podcast, NACCHO Government Affairs team members Adriane Casalotti and Kerry Allen provide an update on the status of federal funding and discuss NACCHO’s priorities for a possible Fiscal Year 2023 omnibus appropriations bill. They also review the progress made on legislation to establish a public health loan repayment program, and ongoing NACCHO efforts to get that across the finish line before the 117th Congress ends, including an upcoming opportunity for NACCHO members to engage with their federal lawmakers in support of the program. Adriane describes the implications of and discussion around the recent CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommendations on the COVID-19 vaccine. Finally, the team reminds listeners that many public health policy decisions will hinge on the outcome of the upcoming midterm elections and urges everyone to vote.
Later in the program, we talk about one of the latest outbreaks – monkeypox (MPX) – with Dr. Philip Huang, Director of the Dallas County Health and Human Services, Andy Meléndez Salgado, MPH, Manager of the Public Health Emergencies and Environmental Health Unit of the New Orleans Health Department, and Dr. Judith Shlay, Associate Director of the Public Health Institute at Denver Health. We discuss how local health departments are working to reach populations at risk for MPX and how lessons learned from COVID-19 response are helping local jurisdictions to address MPX.
In this week’s podcast, NACCHO Government Affairs team members Adriane Casalotti and Kerry Allen catch up on the busy summer, which started out at NACCHO 360, our annual conference. They cover two recent “wins” in administrative advocacy: the CDC public health workforce funding opportunity and a repeal of the so-called “public charge” rule NACCHO had opposed during the last administration. They also discuss the Inflation Reduction Act, which expanded no-cost vaccine coverage for adults in Medicare and Medicaid and made $369 billion in climate change investments. Finally, they update on the current state of play in Washington as Congress works on a way forward on a short-term funding bill that will kick negotiations on full fiscal year 2023 appropriations to after the mid-term elections.
In recognition of National Preparedness Month, the podcast also features a discussion about the future of CDC’s Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) program, which marks its 20th year in 2022. Ben Robison, Health Commissioner for the Wood County Health Department in Ohio, joins the podcast to talk about the importance of PHEP locally, how the program might evolve in the future, and how you can get involved in advancing PHEP's evolution in your jurisdiction.
In this week’s podcast, NACCHO Government Affairs team members Adriane Casalotti and Kerry Allen discuss the much-anticipated funding opportunity from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Strengthening the US Public Health Infrastructure, Workforce, and Data Systems.” They also summarize recent developments in Congress on gun safety legislation and the ongoing stalemate around supplemental COVID-19 funding.
The podcast also features a discussion about the upcoming Inaugural Public Health Law Practitioners Convening that will be held on August 17-19 in Chicago. The conference theme is “Law, Policy, and Equity in Public Health Practice.” Podcast guests are Gerard “Jerry” Giuliano, Director of the Office of Public Health Legal Affairs for the Nassau County Department of Health, and NACCHO’s Director for Public Health Law and Policy Geoffrey Mwaungulu, Jr. Law and policy practitioners are integral to state, tribal, local, and territorial public health practice. They develop and interpret public health authorities, enforce regulations, and leverage the law to positively impact community health. To support the critical role of public health law and policy professionals, CDC and NACCHO have organized this inaugural convening for practitioners.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO Government Affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Adriane Casalotti talk through the status of FY2023 appropriations bills. They also discuss the fate of a COVID-19 emergency supplemental spending bill as COVID-19 cases rise across the country. Finally, they examine a new NACCHO report on the state of local vector control capacity in the U.S.
Later in the program, Ian spoke with African American Infant and Maternal Mortality Initiative (AAIMM) Outreach and Engagement Director for LA County Public Health and NACCHO Maternal Child Health, Infectious Disease, and Preparedness (MIP) Workgroup member Adjoa Jones. They talk about her role in the community and the maternal child health program in LA County. They also examine NACCHO’s efforts to strengthen and support the maternal child health program nationwide.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO Government Affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Kerry Allen discuss the release of NACCHO’s 2020 Forces of Change report that shows changes in public health trends. They also summarize NACCHO’s response to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) proposed rules to prohibit menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars. Finally, they recap Congressional budget hearings held over the last week, and Moderna’s request to authorize its COVID-19 vaccine for children 6 and under.
Later in the program, Ian speaks with NACCHO Director of Research Tim McCall to hear more about the new 2020 Forces of Change report. They cover how the report is put together through local health department outreach, and a few interesting findings the report uncovers. Finally, they discuss how to access the 2020 Forces of Change report and how users can request datasets to conduct additional analysis.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO Government Affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Kerry Allen celebrate National Public Health Week. During National Public Health Week NACCHO recognizes and thanks public health professionals from across the country who are vital to the health and safety of the communities they serve. They discuss the President’s FY2023 Budget Request and the $10 billion COVID-19 emergency supplemental currently under negotiation in Congress (see more below).
Later in the program, in recognition of National Public Health Week, Ian Goldstein speaks with Health Director for the Granville-Vance Public Health District and NACCHO President Lisa Macon Harrison. They discuss the importance of National Public Health Week and how NACCHO can better support public health professionals. They also discuss how local health departments can engage and collaborate with partners to support public health and health equity.
In this week’s Podcast from Washington, NACCHO Government Affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Kerry Allen summarize the status of the PREVENT Pandemics Act. They also discuss the administration’s urging of Congress to pass additional COVID-19 emergency supplemental funding. Finally, they cover a study released by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health that identified reports of harassment across local health departments.
Later in the program, in recognition of World TB Day, Ian speaks with Deputy Public Health Director and Director of Community Health Services for Genesee and Orleans Counties Brenden Bedard. They discuss tuberculosis (TB) programs in his rural jurisdiction that contains a large population of migrant workers and the need to develop partnerships to address TB needs in the community. Brenden also describes how COVID-19 affected his health department’s TB program.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO government affairs team members Adriane Casalotti and Ian Goldstein discuss the House passage of a $1.5 trillion omnibus bill that will fund the government through the rest of fiscal year 2022, which ends in September. They also discuss policy riders that made their way into the bill, including the classification of synthetic nicotine as a tobacco product.
Later in the program, Ian speaks with Dr. Mary Pittman, President and CEO of the Public Health Institute. They discuss an overview of the Healthy People 2030 goals and how PHI is incorporating those objectives into its work. Dr. Pittman offers tips for state-led organizations and health departments on how to engage stakeholders in adopting the Healthy People 2030 framework.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO government affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Adriane Casalotti discuss NACCHO’s comments on the draft text release of the PREVENT Pandemics Act. They also discuss the Republican-led Healthy Futures Task Force request for information on how to address major public health issues and NACCHO’s response.
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein speaks with NACCHO CEO Lori Tremmel Freeman about NACCHO’s goals for the year and lessons learned in 2021. They also discuss how NACCHO continues to support local health departments through the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, they discuss local health department activities and their ability to juggle multiple public health crises.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO government affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Adriane Casalotti discuss the Senate reintroduction of the bipartisan Strengthening the Public Health Workforce Act (S. 3506). They give an update on the FY2022 appropriations process, as the deadline for federal funding under the current continuing resolution expires on February 18. They also discuss the Biden Administration’s plan to distribute masks and at-home COVID-19 tests, and the nomination of Dr. Robert Califf as Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Later in the program, Ian speaks with Lindsey Sullivan, Director of Health Promotion for AppHealthcare at the Appalachian District Health Department, and Angela Graham, Executive Administrator at the Center for Health Equity at the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness, to discuss the Resilience Catalysts program. They discuss how their local health department got involved in the project and how participation in the project built resilience in their communities.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO government affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Kerry Allen review Congressional action this week to raise the debt limit. They also discuss the Biden administration’s lead pipe and paint action plan and the Senate hearing on the nomination of Dr. Robert Califf to head the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein speaks with Director of Community Health Resources for DuPage County, IL Chris Hoff about preparedness activities around the arrival of the Omicron variant. They also discuss the community’s response to the current rise in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO government affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Adriane Casalotti discuss the pending government shutdown unless Congress passes a continuing resolution before federal government funding runs out on December 3. They also discuss the arrival of the omicron variant and President Biden’s 9-point plan to combat the pandemic. Finally, they discuss the passage of the Build Back Better Act in the House.
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein speaks with Senior Assistant County Counsel for Washington County, OR Brad Anderson. They discuss his work as a county attorney on the national opioid settlements and his hopes of how those dollars will be spent in the county. They also discuss how local health departments could receive funding through the settlements.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO government affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Adriane Casalotti discuss NACCHO’s letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland. They also discuss a House subcommittee markup on the Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Act, as well as updated Build Back Better Act (BBBA) legislative text.
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein speaks with Deputy Health Officer for the Orange County Health Care Agency and the NACCHO liaison to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Matt Zahn. They discuss the role of the liaison as well as the role of local health officials on the ACIP.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO government affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Adriane Casalotti discuss the latest bill text for the Build Back Better Act that includes $7 billion for public health infrastructure. They also discuss the testimony from NACCHO President Lisa Macon Harrison at the bipartisan hearing for the Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Act.
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein speaks with Project Director for Community Benefit Insight at RTI International Laura Marcial. They discuss the Community Benefit Insight tool and how its data can be used by local health departments to determine how much is spent on health care in their communities.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO Government Affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Adriane Casalotti discuss the agreement reached by Congress to lift the debt ceiling until December. They also discuss emergency authorization use of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for children ages 5 – 11, new rules for the Title X family planning program, and the implications of the Administration’s proposal to ramp up at-home rapid testing.
Later in the program, Ian speaks with Dr. Sema Sgaier, co-founder and CEO of Surgo Ventures, a dynamic action tank that combines philanthropy with data scientists, behavioral scientists, and technologists to solve some of the most intractable health problems and develop scalable solutions to move them to action. Dr. Sgaier talks about how Surgo developed surveys on projected vaccination rates among adults.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO government affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Adriane Casalotti discuss the looming deadline to pass a continuing resolution to fund the government by the end of the fiscal year on September 30, while also lifting the debt ceiling before a default. They also discuss the Food and Drug Administration’s authorization of COVID-19 booster shots for those over 65, or over 18 and immunocompromised.
Later in the program, Ian speaks with the authors of Broke in America: Seeing, Understanding, and Ending U.S. Poverty, by Colleen Shaddox and Joanne Goldblum. They discuss how the authors became inspired to write a book about poverty in America and the solutions proposed in the book to tackle some of the nation’s biggest challenges for impoverished people, such as access to clean water, housing, and transportation.
In this week's episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO government affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Adriane Casalotti discuss the actions Congress must take before the end of the fiscal year on September 30. They also discuss the reconciliation bill and the looming debt ceiling vote.
Later in the program, Ian speaks with Ethan Johnson, Communications and Performance Management Director at the Florida Department of Health in Volusia County, and Erika Lautenbach, Director of the Whatcom (WA) County Health Department, about equitable approaches to recruitment and hiring at local health departments. They discuss how COVID-19 has changed the way their health departments recruit and retain employees.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, Government Affairs Senior Specialist Ian Goldstein discusses the current Senate negotiations on a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package. He also discusses the FY2022 budget allocations for the Labor, Health and Human Services (LHHS) appropriations bill.
Later in the program, Ian sits down with Alvina Chu, Interim Director for the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Florida Department of Health in Orange County, to take a look back at the Zika virus response in 2016. They discuss how the challenges from the Zika outbreak differ from COVID-19 pandemic and the lessons learned that helped to prepare the department for the COVID-19 response.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO government affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Adriane Casalotti discuss the proposal for the 21st Century Cures 2.0 discussion draft released by Reps. Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Fred Upton (R-MI). They discuss the public health provisions in the bill and its chances of passage. They also discuss the FY2022 appropriations process, as Congress breaks for July 4 recess.
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein speaks with Craig Braquet about the All of Us Research Program, which seeks to break down barriers that exist in medical research studies by expanding the diversity in research and clinical trials to include individuals with disabilities. They discuss the importance of people with disabilities’ participation in the program.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO government affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Adriane Casalotti discuss the release of President Biden’s first full budget request to Congress. The two dive deeper into Congress’ reception to the budget request and new proposals for public health programs. They also discuss Senate confirmation hearings for President Biden’s nominees to Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) and Assistant Secretary at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein talks with Jonathan Hanft, Ryan White Program Coordinator for Hennepin County Public Health, MN, as well as Dr. Minesh Shah, Deputy Country Director of HIV and Tuberculosis (TB) Programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Ethiopia. They each discuss the impact COVID-19 has had on their HIV programs, as well as the challenges of HIV work during a pandemic.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO government affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the reintroduction of the Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Act by Reps. Jason Crow (D-CO); alongside Dr. Michael Burgess (R-TX); Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Chair of the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee; and Brett Guthrie (R-KY), Ranking Member. They discuss the next steps for passage and how NACCHO members can help the bill cross the finish line.
Next, NACCHO Senior Director of Infectious Disease and Informatics Lilly Kan pays tribute to former NACCHO employee James "JR" Ransom, Senior Analyst for Immunization and Infectious Disease Policy, who recently passed. She reflects on his time at NACCHO and all the great work he did in local and global immunization and infectious disease efforts.
Later in the Program, Ian Goldstein talks with Dr. Ying Ying Goh, Director and Health Officer of the Pasadena Public Health Department. They discuss the Food and Drug Administration's recent Emergency Use Authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for adolescents 12 - 15 years old. Dr. Goh shares how her local health department is collaborating with schools and other partners to vaccinate children and adolescents.
In this week's episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO government affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the latest funding announcements from the administration from the American Rescue Plan Act. They also discuss the latest Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) roll back of LGBTQ regulations from the Trump administration.
Later in the program, Ian spoke with members of the New York State Association of County Health Officials about their partnership with the Region 2 Public Health Training Center on their report In-Progress Review of local health departments' response efforts to COVID-19. The team discusses lessons learned from the pandemic and a series of recommended actions for departments, county governments and New York State.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO government affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss President Biden’s first address to Congress. They also discuss the FDA decision to prohibit the sale of menthol flavors in tobacco products, and the Biden Administration’s latest guidelines for medication-assisted treatment.
Later in the program, Ian speaks with Dr. Nisha Nataraj, a statistician on the Applied Research, Evaluation, and Integration team in the Division of Overdose Prevention at the CDC, and Dr. Mark Roberts, professor of Health Policy and Management at the University of Pittsburgh. They discuss their collaborative effort to build the Framework for Reconstructing Epidemiologic Dynamics (FRED) simulator for opioid use disorder and overdose, and how local health departments can use the FRED tool to simulate the disease progression of prescription and illicit opioid use disorder.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO government affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the release of President Biden’s FY2022 Skinny Budget request to Congress. They also review congressional priorities for the next month, and the release of a CDC report that showed an increase in opioid overdose deaths.
Later in the program, Ian speaks with Susan Pinnock, nursing supervisor for the maternal, child, and family program at the Washington County Health Department. They discuss how maternal and child health programs have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and collaborative efforts among maternal and child health programs with infectious disease and preparedness programs.
In this week's episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO government affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the latest confirmed Biden administration health nominees. They also discuss the Transgender Day of Visibility and funding announcements for local health departments. Later in the program, Ian spoke with two members of the Boston Public Health Commission: Director of Environmental and Occupational Health Division Paul Shoemaker and Program Supervisor for the Environmental and Occupational Health Division Stephanie Seller. They discuss the lead landscape in Boston and how the health department is working with other government agencies and non-profits to eradicate lead poisoning.
In this week’s special edition of the NACCHO Podcast Series, NACCHO staff members Ian Goldstein and Adele Appiah introduce a collaborative podcast between NACCHO and the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP) to discuss the PRISM Initiative. This episode brings together doulas and Substance Use and Mental Health professionals to discuss the use of doulas to support substance use disorder, recovery, and treatment. Guests for this episode include Amy Chen, senior staff attorney for the National Health Law Program’s Doula Medicaid Project; Joyce Miller and Melinda McMichael, Doula Certified Peer Recovery Specialists; and Jessica Stieger, AMCHP Program Manager of Infant Health.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO government affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the passage of the American Rescue Plan Act and the investments it makes in the public health response to the COVID-19 Pandemic and beyond. They also discuss the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) investment announced this week to address COVID-19-related health disparities and health equity. Later in the program, Ian talks with Tuberculosis Control Officer at Seattle & King County Public Health Dr. Masa Narita as well as Country Director with the CDC Division of Global HIV/AIDS in Zambia Dr. Simon Agolory. Both guests discuss World TB day and how the COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted TB prevention and control efforts both globally and domestically.
On this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO government affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the latest $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill currently in the Senate and the testimony of NACCHO President Jennifer Kertanis in last week’s House Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services (LHHS) Subcommittee hearing.
Later in the program, Ian talks with Adriane Casalotti, NACCHO Chief of Government and Public Affairs, about NACCHO’s first virtual Capitol Hill Week, in which 90 NACCHO members had over 125 meetings with their elected representatives and senators via Zoom and telephone. Adriane and Ian discuss the importance of Capitol Hill Week, as well as the need for sustained advocacy for public health priorities throughout the year.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO government affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the Biden Administration’s proposal for a $1.9 trillion COVID relief package, and executive orders signed by President Biden pertaining to the Affordable Care Act, Title X family planning, and climate change.
Later in the program, Ian sits down with Cathy Ferree, President and CEO of Indiana State Museums, and Dr. Eric Yazel, Health Officer at Clark County Health Department, to talk about the museum’s latest exhibit, designed to raise awareness of the state’s opioid epidemic. The exhibit also features a Naloxone training partnership with the Clark County Health Department. They discuss how the curation was developed and why highlighting the opioid epidemic in Indiana was important to the Indiana State Museums.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO government affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the Executive Orders following the inauguration of Joe Biden, the 46th President of the United States, and Vice President Kamala Harris. They also discuss the release of $19 billion in COVID-19 mitigation and testing money being sent out via the Epidemiology and Lab Capacity (ELC) Enhancing Detection Expansion grants.
Later in the program, Ian sits down with Kevin McGinnis, program manager of Community Paramedicine, Mobile Integrated Health Care and Rural Emergency Care at the National Association of State EMS Officials. They discuss community paramedicine and how these programs help to prevent older adult falls.
In the first Podcast from Washington of 2021, NACCHO government affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the Senate run-off election in Georgia, and the $22 billion in funding from the CDC for states, localities, and territories in support the nation's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Later in the program, Ian talks about the development of the Healthy People 2030 framework with Captain Paul Reed, MD, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health, Medicine and Science at HHS. Ian also discusses implementation of Healthy People 2030 with Bryn Manzella, MPH, the Quality Improvement Officer and Director of Quality Improvement at the Jefferson County Department of Health.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO government affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the latest bipartisan $908 billion coronavirus relief package unveiled this week and its chances of passing the Senate. They also discuss President-elect Joe Biden’s picks for key federal health agencies.
Later in the program, as part of NACCHO’s observation of National Influenza Vaccination Week, Ian Goldstein spoke with Dr. L.J. Tan, Chief Strategy Officer for the Immunization Action Coalition and Co-Chair for the National Adult Immunization Summit and National Influenza Vaccine Summit. They discussed how this year’s flu season will help prepare the field for the rollout and distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine, and the role of the National Adult and Influenza Immunization Summit’s (NAIIS) work to address and resolve influenza immunization issues.
In this week’s special episode of the NACCHO Podcast Series, Ian Goldstein talks with Adriane Casalotti, NACCHO’s Chief of Government and Public Affairs, about the organization’s transition documents that were submitted to the Biden-Harris Administration and the 117th Congress. They discuss the process for drafting transition documents, as well as how they are used by the new Administration and Congress. Finally, they talk about the negotiations for the next COVID-19 relief package.
In this week's episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO government affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss NACCHO recommendations for the incoming Biden-Harris Administration and the 117th Congress. They also discuss the 12 appropriations bills introduced in the Senate last week.
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein speaks with Lisa Harrison, Local Health Director for Granville-Vance District Health Department and NACCHO Board member. They discuss how her small local health department is managing the coronavirus pandemic and how vital federal funding is to the effort. They also discuss how Granville-Vance is preparing for a mass vaccination event.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO government affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the outcome of the 2020 election and the balance of power in Congress. They also discuss the election implications for the agenda of the 117th Congress.
Later in the program, Ian interviews Dr. Michael Sells, PhD, MS, CHES, Public Health Advisor on the Advancing Population Health Team of the Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention at the CDC to discuss the Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Control Hypertension. They discuss the need for greater hypertension control and explore evidence-based interventions that can be implemented, adapted, and expanded in diverse settings across the U.S.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO government affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the latest negotiations for another coronavirus relief package. They also discuss an imminent COVID-19 vaccine rollout and how NACCHO is working to ensure local health departments receive the federal resources they need.
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein interviews Director for Public Health Seattle-King County Patty Hayes, RN, MN and Program Associate at the Big Cities Health Coalition Gabrielle Nichols. They discuss Public Health Seattle-King County’s response to multiple crises including COVID-19 outbreaks, smoke from neighboring wildfires, and civil unrest due to the ongoing impacts of racism.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO government affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the continuing resolution passed by Congress to avert a government shutdown. They also discuss HEROES 2.0 passed by the House, and two House “Dear Colleague” letters that garner support for local public health.
Later in the program, Ian sits down with Rear Admiral Betsy L. Thompson, MD, MSPH, DrPH, Assistant Surgeon General, U.S. Public Health Service and Director of the Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention at the CDC, to discuss the Framework for Healthcare Systems Providing Non-COVID-19 Clinical Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic. They discuss the development of a comprehensive framework to balance the necessary provision of non-COVID-19 medical services while minimizing risk to patients and healthcare personnel during the pandemic. Rear Admiral Thompson also highlights key considerations local health departments and healthcare systems should consider when managing cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO government affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the approaching end of the fiscal year on September 30, and how Congress intends to keep the government funded. They also discuss the forecast for a coronavirus relief package that will benefit local health departments. Finally, they discuss the imminent rollout of a coronavirus vaccine.
Later in the program, Ian sits down with Karla Feeser, NACCHO’s Senior Research Analyst; Dr. Jacquelynn Orr, Program Officer for Research Evaluation and Learning at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; and Dr. Sergey Sotnikov, Economist at the Center for State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support at the CDC to discuss the findings of NACCHO’s 2019 Local Health Department Profile Study. They discuss their research and evaluation of Profile data and how that information can be invaluable for health departments, policymakers, and researchers to better understand funding, workforce, capacity, and other aspects that affect the way services are resourced and delivered by local health departments in their communities, as well as how they compare to health departments of other sizes or in other states.
In this week’s Podcast from Washington, NACCHO Government Affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the next emergency supplemental coronavirus bill introduced in the Senate. They also discuss the temporary halt to the Trump administration’s public charge rule.
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein spoke with Director of the Office of Public Health Legal Affairs for Nassau County Department of Health in NY Gerard “Jerry” Giuliano. They discuss legal protections for health department employees, as well as the legalities of mask mandates. They also discuss the difficulties of contact tracing and the effectiveness of subpoenas.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, Government Affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss next week’s NACCHO 360 virtual conference. They also discuss NACCHO’s latest report on the impact of COVID-19 on local health department immunization programs and the next coronavirus emergency response package in Congress.
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein spoke with Director for the City of New Orleans Mosquito, Termite and Rodent Control Board Claudia Riegel and NACCHO’s Director of Environmental Health Dr. Chelsea Gridley-Smith to discuss NACCHO’s vector control during COVID-19 report. Riegel gives a firsthand account of how her team is working to control the mosquito and rodent populations in New Orleans during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO Government Affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss NACCHO’s statement on racially driven violence against black Americans. They also discuss how police reform discussions have already started on Capitol Hill.
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein spoke with NACCHO’s Emily Yox about NACCHO’s partnership with ESRI and implementation of its COVID-19 dashboard resource. They discuss how the resource was developed and how local health departments can best utilize the online resource.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the introduction of the Senate bill “Strengthening the Public Health Workforce Act,” introduced by Sens. Tina Smith (D-MN) and Cory Booker (D-NJ). They also discuss the next phase of COVID-19 emergency supplemental bills.
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein chatted with Leah Casanave, Supervisor of the STD Prevention and Control Program at Douglas County Health Department, NE and Kat Kelley, NACCHO’s Senior Program Analyst for HIV, STI and Viral Hepatitis. They discuss the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on local health department’s HIV, STI and viral hepatitis programs and services.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the next phase of emergency supplemental bills known as HEROES Act. They discuss the inclusion of the “Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Act” and other provisions in the bill that will impact public health.
Later in the program, Emily Yox, NACCHO program analyst, talks with author Dr. Paul Offit about his latest work, Overkill: When Modern Medicine Goes Too Far. They discuss his thoughts on public health, and how COVID-19 will change the public health landscape.
In this week’s Podcast from Washington, Ian Goldstein speaks with Adriane Casalotti, NACCHO’s Chief of Government and Public Affairs. They discuss ways in which NACCHO is serving local health departments during the COVID-19 outbreak, as well as the new legislation championed by NACCHO and introduced by Reps. Jason Crow (D-CO) and Michael Burgess (R-TX): the Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Program. They also discuss NACCHO’s contact tracing position paper.
Later in the program, Ian talks with Lynn Johnson, Assistant Secretary at HHS’ Administration for Children and Families (ACF), and Natalie Grant, Director of the Office of Human Services, Emergency Preparedness and Response. They discuss how local health departments that provide health services can work with ACF, and the importance of emergency preparedness and a coordinated national response to COVID-19.
In this week’s episode from the NACCHO Podcast Series, Ian Goldstein is joined by NACCHO CEO Lori Tremmel Freeman to discuss the importance of World Immunization Week. They also talk about the 2019 novel coronavirus pandemic and how NACCHO is serving local health departments.
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein talks with Dr. William Schluter, Director of the Global Immunization Division in the Center for Global Health at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mr. Goldstein and Dr. Schluter discussed World Immunization Week (April 24 to 30) and the importance of immunization in improving the health and well-being of individuals worldwide. They also discussed the many gains that have been made in immunization globally and where challenges still exist.
On this week’s NACCHO Podcast Series episode, Ian Goldstein talks with NACCHO Chief of Programs and Services Dr. Oscar Alleyne about his time in the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) Emergency Operations Center. They also discuss the vital role of local health departments in the COVID-19 response.
Later in the program, Ian chats with the Commissioner for Public Health for the Commonwealth of Kentucky Dr. Steven J. Stack and Public Health Director for WEDCO District Health Department, KY Dr. Crystal Miller. They discuss the Kentucky response to COVID-19 at the State and local levels, including how local health departments are working with State partners to track the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak.
On this week’s NACCHO Podcast Series episode, Ian Goldstein talks with NACCHO Chief of Programs and Services Dr. Oscar Alleyne about his time in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Emergency Operations Center. They also discuss the vital role of local health departments in the COVID-19 response.
Later in the program, Ian chats with the Commissioner for Public Health for the Commonwealth of Kentucky Dr. Steven J. Stack and Public Health Director for Wedco District Health Department, KY Dr. Crystal Miller. They discuss the Kentucky response to COVID-19 at the State and local levels, including how local health departments are working with State partners to track the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak.
On this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, sheltering-in-place NACCHO government affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the government actions taken since the president declared a national emergency. They also discuss how funding is being distributed to state health departments and directly-funded local health departments over the next few weeks.
Later in the program, Ian sits down with Barbara Marsh, Assistant to the Health Commissioner, Public Health Dayton and Montgomery County, OH. They discuss how her health department has been able to curb the opioid epidemic in the community, and how members of her local health department deal with substance-use tragedies as members of the community.
On this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO Government Affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the $8.3 billion COVID-19 emergency supplemental package that passed the House and is up for a vote in the Senate. They also give a recap of NACCHO’s Week of Congressional Action where public health advocates took to Capitol Hill to discuss public health funding and priorities.
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein sat down with Assistant Director for Active Design at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Joshua Langham. He spoke about his focus on increasing opportunities for physical activity and overall health through the design of the built environment.
In this week’s Podcast from Washington, Government Affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss NACCHO’s Leadership Week and how you can participate in NACCHO’s Virtual Hill Day to advocate for public health programs. They also discuss the local health department response to COVID-19 and how NACCHO is reporting back to Congress and the Administration about local health department activities.
Later in the program, Ian sits down with Dr. Jennifer Carroll, Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Elon University to discuss her new book Narkomania, which considers if a person is predisposed to substance use disorders. They also discuss her background in substance use, harm reduction, and overdose prevention.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, Government Affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the latest from Washington, DC and the novel coronavirus outbreak. They also discuss the State of the Union address, as well as a hearing on e-cigarettes.
Later in the program, Ian sits down with Molly McNamara, Training Officer at Maricopa County Department of Public Health and Carol Moehrle, Health Director at the Idaho North Central District, to talk about Public Health 3.0, and what it means to be a Community Health Strategist.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, Government Affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the recent outbreak of Novel Coronavirus from China. They also cover this year’s NACCHO 360 conference in Denver, July 7–9, and the CDC’s rollout of the Active People, Health Nation Initiative, designed to help 27 million Americans become more physically active by 2027.
Later in the program, Emily Yox, NACCHO’s program analyst for global health, sits down with America Bracho, MD, MPH, of Latino Health Access, and Ginger Lee of Long Beach Department of Health & Human Services.America discusses how she formed Latino Health Access in 1993 as one of the first place-based interventions in the United States. This program uses Promotores or community health workers, to help improve health outcomes among Latinos in Santa Ana. As the program began to grow, America partnered with Ginger and the local health department on a number of initiatives, and they continue to see improvements in areas such as diabetes, mental health, and nutrition.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, Government Affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the recent outbreak of Novel Coronavirus from China. They also cover this year’s NACCHO 360 conference in Denver, July 7–9, and the CDC’s rollout of the Active People, Health Nation Initiative, designed to help 27 million Americans become more physically active by 2027.
Later in the program, Emily Yox, NACCHO’s program analyst for global health, sits down with America Bracho, MD, MPH, of Latino Health Access, and Ginger Lee of Long Beach Department of Health & Human Services.America discusses how she formed Latino Health Access in 1993 as one of the first place-based interventions in the United States. This program uses Promotores or community health workers, to help improve health outcomes among Latinos in Santa Ana. As the program began to grow, America partnered with Ginger and the local health department on a number of initiatives, and they continue to see improvements in areas such as diabetes, mental health, and nutrition.
Ian Goldstein interviews Betty Duggan, director of the New York City Medical Reserve Corps. They discuss how she came into her role as director in a large metropolitan area. She shares how she was able to recruit over 4,000 new MRC volunteers, and talks about some of the activities and exercises developed to enhance New York City’s preparedness readiness.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, Government Affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the FY2020 appropriations bill that was signed into law before the holiday break. They also review NACCHO’s 2020 Legislative Agenda and how public health advocates can take their priorities to lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Finally, they discuss the Trump Administration’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) e-cigarettes final guidance.
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein interviews Betty Duggan, director of the New York City Medical Reserve Corps. They discuss how she came into her role as director in a large metropolitan area. She shares how she was able to recruit over 4,000 new MRC volunteers, and talks about some of the activities and exercises developed to enhance New York City’s preparedness readiness.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, Government Affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the continuing resolution to fund the Federal Government, which runs out on December 20. They also discuss two congressional hearings this week that dealt with influenza season, and the Administration’s ban on flavored e-cigarettes.
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein sat down with Stacy Collins, Associate Director, Health Systems Transformation at the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs to discuss the growing maternal mortality rate in the U.S., as well as the significance of the Affordable Care Act in improving health outcomes of youth and maternal mortality rates. They also talk about how the dismantling of the Affordable Care Act would disrupt the entire healthcare system.
In this week’s Podcast from Washington, Government Affairs team member Ian Goldstein discusses tobacco legislation advanced by the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee that would raise the federal tobacco purchasing age to 21, ban flavored tobacco products, and require face-to-face sales. He also discusses the Senate HELP Committee hearings on vaping, and the continuing resolution to fund the government, which runs out on November 21.
Later in the program, Emily Yox, NACCHO’s program analyst for global health, sits down withDr. Lee Smith, the Executive Director and County Health Officer of Monongalia County Health Department in West Virginia.In their discussion, Dr. Lee describes how his county is using the popular dating app Grindr to share information and encourage testing for syphilis, after an outbreak that started primarily among MSM in early 2019. Smith drew inspiration for this program from a South African presentation he attended a decade earlier on the value of cell phone data, and was able to adapt those ideas into an initiative that addressed a specific community need.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, Government Affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the passage of the Preventing Online Sales of E-Cigarettes to Children Act, which would require adults to sign for vaping products delivered by mail. The legislation also implements new safeguards, such as age verification requirements that would prevent the online sale of electronic cigarettes to minors. They also discuss the Senate movement of FY2020 appropriations, before the current continuing resolution expires November 21.
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein sits down with Matthew Clarke, Director of Creative Placemaking for the Trust for Public Land to discuss how Matthew became involved in urban creative placemaking. They discuss his influences as an architect and urban space creator, as well as Clarke’s latest book The Field Guide for Creative Placemaking in the Parks, a how-to resource for community development.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO Government Affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the latest from Capitol Hill and recent hearings on e-cigarettes, vaccines, and emergency preparedness.
Later in the program, Emily Yox, NACCHO’s program analyst for global health, sits down with Dr. Umair Shah, former NACCHO President and Executive Director for Harris County Public Health in Texas, to discuss several health department programs that were inspired by successful global health work. Dr. Shah discusses two interventions specifically around mosquito and vector control that were initially carried out in India, Brazil, and Australia before being adopted by Harris County to align with their specific needs.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, Government Affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Adriane Casalotti discuss the continuing resolution signed by President Trump that will keep the federal government funded through November 21. They also discuss how Congress is dealing with the youth vaping epidemic, and the latest news related to the mysterious vaping illness.
Later in the program, Ian sits down with Francis Higgins, NACCHO’s Injury and Violence Prevention Program Analyst, to discuss NACCHO’s Environmental Scan Report. The Environmental Scan looks at local health department prevention activities related to the opioid epidemic, and Francis shares the report’s findings and how local health departments can use it as a vital resource to understand the epidemic.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the Senate Appropriations Committee’s release of its FY2020 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS) appropriations bill. They also discuss the federal crackdown on flavored e-cigarettes and the latest news on the vaping illness.
Later in the program, Emily Yox sits down for a Skype interview with Duncan Stephenson, the Deputy Chief Executive for the Royal Society for Public Health in the United Kingdom to discuss his Health on High Street project. This model uses data to score shops found on UK High Streets to create a measure to determine the “healthiness or unhealthiness” of 70 UK towns and cities. This model is now migrating to the United States to rank the healthiness or unhealthiness of U.S. main streets, with a final report coming out in early 2020. They discuss the catalyst behind starting this work, how they scored and ranked the streets, and its adaptation within the U.S. context.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, Eli Briggs and Ian Goldstein discuss breaking news, as the Food and Drug Administration is finalizing plans to ban all flavored e-cigarette cartridges from the market in an effort to discourage youth vaping. They also discuss the cancellation of the markup for the Senate FY2020 Labor, Health & Human Services, (LHHS) Education appropriations bill.
Later in the program, in a nod to National Preparedness Month, Ian Goldstein sits down with Michelle (Shelly) Schwedhelm, executive director for Emergency Management & Biopreparedness at Nebraska Medicine. They discuss developing a regional public health response system for disasters, as well as Shelly’s role in the 2014 Ebola education training program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. She also shares how local health departments can develop a structure that incorporates clinical systems with public health.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington Ian Goldstein and Adriane Casalotti discuss Congress’ return to Capitol Hill after Labor Day to tackle appropriations for FY2020 that begins October 1. They also discuss the proposed rule change to 42 CFR Part 2, regarding mental health records sharing. Finally, they discuss the Surgeon General’s latest campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of marijuana for teens and pregnant women.
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein sat down with Deputy Director for Public Health Service and Implementation Science at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Dr. Stephen Redd. They discussed the threat of a global pandemic and the ability of the US to respond to an outbreak. They also discussed climate change and how communities can better prepare for natural and manmade disasters.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, Eli Briggs and Ian Goldstein discuss the passage of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019 and how that will affect appropriations bills for FY2020. They also discuss the final “public charge” rule from the Trump Administration. Finally, they discuss August recess and how you can get involved in public health advocacy.
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein sat down with Public Health Director for Kentucky River District Health Department Scott Lockard. They discuss the implementation of the department’s needle exchange program and how other health departments can replicate positive health outcomes. They also discuss the challenges and community buy-in for the project.
On this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019 agreement that would raise cap levels for non-defense discretionary spending in FY2020 and FY2021. They also discuss the Administration’s new Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) rules, and the Food and Drug Administration’s anti-smoking campaign aimed at youth.
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein sat down with Public Health Director for Bell County, KY Teresa Hunter. The discussed overprescribing rates in Bell County and how that contributed to the opioid epidemic. They discussed activities the county health department has done with support of NACCHO to curb the opioid epidemic.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the House passage of the Labor, Health and Human Services (LHHS) and Education appropriations bill and the public health implications. They also discuss NACCHO Annual 2019 activities.
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein sat down with Chief of the Office of Public Health Emergency Preparedness for Harris County Public Health Jennifer Kiger. They discussed the lessons learned from Hurricane Harvey and the value of storytelling when it comes to emergency preparedness. They also discussed the chemical plant fire in eastern Harris County that happened in March.
In this week’s episode of the Podcast from Washington, Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the movement of four House FY2020 appropriations bills packaged into a minibus. They also discuss the long-awaited passage of the Pandemic and All-Hazards and Advancing Innovations Act reauthorization. Later in the program, Ian Goldstein sat down with a panel of local health professionals from the Cabell-Huntington Health Department in West Virginia. They discussed the health department efforts to control a Hepatitis A outbreak, and how the opioid epidemic has affected those efforts. The panel also discussed the need for community partnerships to manage the outbreak response.
On this week’s episode of the NACCHO Podcast Series, Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss Memorial Day recess and items the Congress will have to take up when they return next week. The House will have to pass the Senate version of the Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovations Act. They also discuss the Department of Health and Human Services proposed rule that would roll back health care protections for transgender patients.
Later in the program Ian Goldstein sat down with the Deputy Director for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University’s Earth Institute Jeff Schlegelmilch. They discussed understanding the nation’s readiness to prepare for and respond to disasters, with a focus on children. They discussed data collection of past hurricanes and the gulf oil spill, looking at long-term impacts, particularly in children and their adverse childhood experiences.
On this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, Ian Goldstein discusses NACCHO Model Practice award winners and de Beaumont Foundation’s 40 Under 40 in Public Health. He also talks about the disaster relief package and public health infrastructure bills introduced in the House.
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein sat down with Hospital Preparedness Coordinator for the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness Amanda Hunter. They discussed Hepatitis A outbreaks in the Louisville area and the role of the hospital preparedness coordinator. They also discussed the role of the hospital preparedness coordinator in a mass casualty event.
On this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, Ian Goldstein discusses NACCHO Model Practice award winners and de Beaumont Foundation’s 40 Under 40 in Public Health. He also talks about the disaster relief package and public health infrastructure bills introduced in the House.
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein sat down with Hospital Preparedness Coordinator for the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness Amanda Hunter. They discussed Hepatitis A outbreaks in the Louisville area and the role of the hospital preparedness coordinator. They also discuss the role of the hospital preparedness coordinator in a mass casualty event.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, Eli Briggs and Ian Goldstein discuss the House Labor, Health and Human Services (LHHS), and Education appropriations bill that seeks to boost federal funding for public health programs. They also discuss the Climate Action Now Act (H.R. 9) in the House.
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein sat down with Director for Emergency Preparedness and Response at the Broward County Health Department Terri Sudden. Sudden talks about her health departments response to two mass shootings; one at the Ft. Lauderdale airport, and the mass shooting that took place at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in February 2018.
On this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, Eli Briggs and Ian Goldstein discuss a vaccine resolution passed by the Senate. They also discuss the introduction of a comprehensive House bill that would ban flavored tobacco and e-cigarettes, including menthol, as well as raise the minimum age of purchase for tobacco products to 21.
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein sat down with the Executive Director of Healthcare Ready Dr. Nicolette Louissaint. They discussed how the Healthcare Ready project came about and how local health departments can utilize private partnerships in their preparedness activities. They also discussed steps in making governments and healthcare providers response ready.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, Eli Briggs and Ian Goldstein discuss the Public Health Preparedness Summit that took place in St. Louis, MO. They also discuss events surrounding National Public Health Week.
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein sat down with Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) Director of Government Relations Dara Lieberman. They discussed TFAH’s report “Ready or Not,” and how the report has been received. They also discussed the importance of advocacy for public health at the federal level and strategies to help public health workers tell their stories to bring attention to their work and advocate for increased public health funding.
In this week's episode of Podcast from Washington, Ian Goldstein provides a run-down of the week in public health in Washington including a new CDC report that shows HIV prevention has stalled in recent years. He also discusses the House effort to pass a universal background checks bill, and a hearing on the measles outbreak in 10 states.
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein sat down with Director of Evaluation for NACCHO Dr. Debra Dekker. They discuss the 2018 Forces of Change Survey that reports on the challenges facing local health departments. They are joined via telephone by Claude Alix-Jacob, Chief Public Health Officer of Cambridge Public Health Department who shares his story about using Forces of Change data.
In this week's episode of Podcast from Washington, Ian Goldstein provides a run-down of the week in public health in Washington including a new CDC report that shows HIV prevention has stalled in recent years. He also discusses the House effort to pass a universal background checks bill, and a hearing on the measles outbreak in 10 states.
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein sat down with Director of Evaluation for NACCHO Dr. Debra Dekker. They discuss the 2018 Forces of Change Survey that reports on the challenges facing local health departments. They are joined via telephone by Claude Alix-Jacob, Chief Public Health Officer of Cambridge Public Health Department who shares his story about using Forces of Change data.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the possibility of another government shutdown. They also discuss gun violence prevention legislation that was introduced in the House by Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL). NACCHO will also comment on the proposed Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) rule that would require able-bodied persons receiving SNAP benefits to work. Finally, they discuss the National Youth Tobacco Report from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein sat down with CEO of the de Beaumont Foundation Brian Castrucci and CEO and President for Trust for America’s Health John Auerbach to discuss their Health Affairs blog article surrounding the social determinants of health. The two CEOs discussed evidence-based policy solutions to tackle social inequities in communities.
On this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the end of the five-week Government shutdown and the three-week continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government funded while Congress and the President work out a deal to fund border security. They also discuss the measles outbreak in seven states.
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein talked with Chief Medical and Scientific Office of the All of Us Research Program Dr. Kelly Gebo. They discussed the goal of enrolling one million participants in the research program. They also discussed how local health departments can use the depth, data, and research potential of All of Us.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington Eli Briggs and Ian Goldstein discuss the partial government shutdown that entered its fifth week, and how that is affecting public health and local health departments. They also discuss the Senate hearings for the Attorney General nominee William Barr and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator nominee Andrew Wheeler. Later in the program, Ian Goldstein talked with Health Director for DeKalb County Health Department Dr. Sandra Ford. They discuss risk factors around maternal and child health to bring awareness to Birth Defects Prevention Month. Dr. Ford discussed the challenges in DeKalb county lowering the rates of infant mortality throughout the county.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the partial government shutdown and what it means for public health. They also discuss the start of the 116th Congress and the confirmation of Director for the Office of National Drug Control Policy Jim Carroll. Later in the program, Ian Goldstein spoke via telephone with Stephanie Black Medical Director with the Communicable Disease Program in the Chicago Department of Public Health and Michael Craig Senior Advisor for CDC’s Antibiotic Resistance Coordination and Strategy Unit. They discuss the current state of antimicrobial resistance in the US. They also discuss the CDC’s AMR Challenge and how local health departments can get involved.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, Ian Goldstein and Adriane Casalotti discuss the Farm bill passed by Congress. They also discuss a looming government shutdown over border wall funding, and the “public charge” rule. Finally, they discuss two maternal health bills passed by the House.
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein sat down with the Director of the Kansas City Health Department and 2018 Mo Mullet Award winner Dr. Rex Archer and Health Director for Idaho North Central District Carol Moehrle who nominated Dr. Archer for the award. They discussed his career in public health and his greatest accomplishments in public health as well as the greatest challenges throughout his career. They also discussed public health accreditation and the value of NACCHO membership.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss National Influenza Vaccination week. They also discuss the FY2019 continuing resolution to fund the Federal Government. Finally, they discuss the 2019 NACCHO Annual abstract submission deadline. Later in the program, Ian Goldstein spoke with the Director of Immunization Services Division at the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Dr. Melinda Wharton. They discussed the history of National Influenza Vaccination Week and how important vaccinations are at all stages of life. They also discussed how local health departments can encourage their communities to get vaccinated.
In this week’s episode of Podcast from Washington, Eli Briggs and Ian Goldstein discuss the latest report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that concluded life expectancy rates dropped in 2017. They also discuss the rise in children’s uninsured rates, and the U.S. Government climate assessment.
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein talked with 2018 Model Practice Winners from the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District, Diana Montano and Jannet Burguete. They discussed their Model Practice Award winning submission breastfeeding baby café, which is a lactation consultation in a non-clinical setting, delivering services to the target population and to women in need with their breastfeeding concerns.
On this week’s Podcast from Washington, Eli Briggs and Ian Goldstein discuss the outcome of the 2018 mid-term elections and the Congressional balance of power in 2019. They also discuss public health ballot measures that were approved or rejected by voters across the country.
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein sat down with newly re-elected Mayor of El Monte Andre Quintero. They discussed the Mayor’s initiatives around broadband access for his diverse city as well as making community college more affordable and accessible. They also discussed health equity in El Monte, CA and using evidence-based public health policies.
In this week's episode of Podcast from Washington Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the Opioid Crisis Response Act that was signed into law by President Trump. They also discuss National Drug Takeback Day and how you can take action on the "Public Charge" rule.
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein sat down with the Deputy Director of Kansas City Public Health Dr. Sarah Martin. They discussed policy issues as well as policies implemented by the Kansas City Health Department such as tobacco to 21 and fighting back against predatory lending.
In this week's episode of Podcast from Washington, Eli Briggs and Ian Goldstein discuss Hurricane Michael and resources provided by NACCHO for local health departments to use during a natural disaster. They also discuss the "public charge" rule imposed by the Trump Administration.
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein sat down with Health Director for the Oklahoma City/County Health Department Phil Maytubby and Deputy Director for the Tri-County Health Department in Colorado Jennifer Ludwig. The two discuss advocacy efforts as the first-ever winner of NACCHO's Advocate of the Year award at NACCHO Annual 2018.
In this week's episode of Podcast from Washington Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the opioid package passed by the Senate that will head to President Trump's desk for signature. They also discuss wrap-up of FY2019 LHHS spending bill, and the Department of Homeland Security Family Separation policy.
Later in the program Ian Goldstein sat down with Health Director for the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District Dr. Colleen Bridger. They discuss San Antonio's implementation of the tobacco to 21 law that took effect this month.
On this week's episode of Podcast from Washington, Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the passage of the FY2019 Labor, Health & Human Services, and Education bill that was combined with the Department of Defense. They also discuss the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Advancing Innovations Act that passed the House and a deal on the opioid bills passed by the House and Senate.
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein sat down with Health Director at Seattle & King County Patty Hayes to discuss her health department's response to the opioid epidemic. Hayes discussed how the health department has implemented syringe service programs to reduce infectious disease outbreak.
In this week's Podcast from Washington Eli Briggs and Ian Goldstein discuss the FY2019 LHHS bill that was passed by the Senate last week and heads to the House for final passage next week and on to the President's desk. They also discuss NACCHO's 2019 Legislative Agenda.
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein sat down with Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development at USDA Anne Hazlett. They discussed the opioid epidemic and its effects on rural communities. They also discuss broadband development and how USDA plans to bring tools and resources to rural communities across the country.
In this week's episode of Podcast from Washington, Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss preparedness resources for Hurricane Florence. They also discuss the pending Labor, Health & Human Services, and Education bill that will come up for a vote in the Senate next week. Finally, they discuss the FDA crackdown on e-cigarette manufacturers and distributors.
Later in the Podcast, Ian Goldstein sat down with the founder of the Homeland Preparedness Project Bill Ray. They discussed preparedness and response efforts in Alvin, TX during Hurricane Harvey in 2017, and how local health departments can bolster their preparedness efforts for an extreme weather event.
In this week's Podcast from Washington Eli Briggs and Ian Goldstein discuss the FY2019 Appropriations bills passed by the Senate, which now must be conferenced with the House. They also discuss the opioids package passed in the House, and the Senate's opioid package.
Later in the program Ian Goldstein sat down with Assistant Commissioner for Preparedness and Response at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. They discuss preparedness efforts in a large urban environment.
On this week’s Podcast from Washington, Government Affairs Specialist Ian Goldstein gives the latest information on the Labor, Health & Human Services, and Education appropriations bill currently debated in the Senate. He also talks CDC tobacco reports and how you can take action while the House of Representatives is currently on August Recess.
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein sat down with Chief Medical Officer at ESRI Dr. Estella Geraghty. Dr. Geraghty is a moderator at this week’s PHI Conference in Atlanta. They discuss GIS mapping technology at ESRI and how it can be applied to the opioid crisis.
In this week's episode of Podcast from Washington, Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss August recess and how members can reach out to their Members of Congress to invite them to their local health department. They also discuss the Pandemic All-Hazards Preparedness Reauthorization, as well as the FY2019 Appropriations bills.
Later in the program Ian Goldstein sat down with CEO of the de Beaumont Foundation Brian Castrucci and Sr. Vice President and Chief Health Officer for Kaiser Permanente Dr. Bechara Choucair. They discuss their shared initiative CityHealth, which promotes practices that make cities healthier through proven policies that achieve community health priorities.
In this week's Podcast from Washington Ian Goldstein and Chief of Government Affairs Laura Hanen discuss the FY2019 Appropriations bills in the House and Senate. They also discuss how NACCHO members can take action and reach out to their elected representatives while they are home campaigning during August recess. They also discuss the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act.
Later in the Podcast, Ian Goldstein sat down with the CDC Deputy Director and Chief Medical Officer for Public Health Preparedness and Response Dr. Daniel Sosin. They discuss the local health department response to the 2017 hurricane season and wildfires throughout the country. They also discuss how small- to medium-sized health departments can develop a smart community-wide emergency management plan.
In this week's episode of Podcast from Washington, Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the markup of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Advancing Innovations Act (PAHPAI). They also discuss the FY2019 Labor, Health & Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill, and a wrap up of NACCHO Annual 2018.
Later in the podcast, Ian Goldstein sat down with three LHD of the Year Award winners at NACCHO Annual 2018, NY State Association of County Health Officials (NYSACHO) Director Sarah Ravenhall, Nassau County Director Dr. Larry Eisenstein, Fulton County Director Dr. Irena Gelman, and Erie County Director Dr. Gale Burstein. The panel discuss how their health departments develop and implement a broad range of public health policies. They also discuss their big accomplishments of the last year that provided the basis for their LHD of the Year Award applications.
In this week’s Podcast from Washington Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the FY2019 appropriations bills in the House and Senate. They also discuss the opioid bills that passed the House of Representatives and has moved onto the Senate. Finally, they discuss the markups of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act of 2018.
Later in the program Ian Goldstein sat down with Carson City Health Director Nicki Aaker. They discussed how a small health department creates public and private partnerships. They also discussed the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act Reauthorization after Carson City saw excessive flooding in January, 2017. Finally, the discuss the importance of the Medical Reserve Corps.
On this week's episode of Podcast from Washington, Government Affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss NACCHO Annual 2018. They also provide a funding update for FY2019 and the President's rescission package.
Later in the program, two old friends, and past NACCHO Presidents, Bob Harmon and Hugh Tilson recall their work on the landmark report from the Institute of Medicine entitled "The Future of Public Health" on its 30th anniversary. They discuss what went into the report and how it was received in 1988. They also discuss what they believe in 2018 is the future of public health.
In this week's Podcast from Washington Government Affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act and NACCHO's Congressional testimony presented by Executive Director for Harris County Public Health Dr. Umair Shah. They also discuss the FDA tobacco comment extension, and the rescission package in the House.
Later in the program, Ian Goldstein sat down with Public Health Director at the Middleton Board of Health and State Association of County and City Health Official Derek Fullerton to talk about their new opioid toolkit for all local health departments in Massachusetts. The toolkit contains best practices around opioids. They also discuss newly legalized cannabis in the state.
On this week's episode of Podcast from Washington, Eli Briggs and Ian Goldstein discuss the second markup of opioid bills in the House, as well as appropriations for FY2019. Eli explains the rescission package and farm bill reauthorization.
Later in the podcast, Ian Goldstein sat down with the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) Dr. Robert Kadlec. Dr. Kadlec discussed his four priority areas as the ASPR. Dr. Kadlec also talked about how small-to-medium-sized health departments can develop a smart emergency management plan.
In this week's episode of Podcast from Washington, Eli Briggs and Ian Goldstein discuss opioid related bills marked up in the House and Senate. They also discuss the reauthorization of the Pandemic All-Hazards Preparedness Act of 2013.
Later in the program Ian Goldstein sat down with Health Officer and Administrator for the Monroe County Health Department Bob Eadie. Bob and Ian discuss the public health impacts of Hurricane Irma that hit the Florida Keys in August 2017. They discuss lessons learned as well as how local public health can develop plans for extreme weather conditions in the future.
In this week's episode of Podcast from Washington, Government Affairs team members Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the Omnibus funding for FY2018. They also discuss a hearing in the House Energy & Commerce Committee concerning the opioid epidemic, where NACCHO member and Health Director of the Cabell-Huntington Health Department Dr. Michael Kilkenny testified about how his health department has dealt with the opioid epidemic.
Later in the program, Ian sat down with NACCHO Lead Research Scientist and Director of Research Nick Williams to discuss the Forces of Change Survey, a yearly survey containing new findings on the forces that are affecting the nation’s local health departments (LHDs).
Carol Moehrle from the Idaho North Central District joined the conversation by phone to talk about her health department's experience with the Forces of Change survey and why it is vital that local health departments participate in the survey.
In this week's episode of Podcast from Washington, Eli Briggs and Ian Goldstein discuss NACCHO's Week of Congressional Action as well as new policy statements approved by NACCHO's Board of Directors. They also discuss the White House Opioid Summit and a NACCHO meeting with the Surgeon General.
Later in the Podcast, Ian Goldstein is joined by Health Director of the Middle Brook Regional Health Commission and NACCHO President-elect Kevin Sumner. They discuss local health issues at the health department including the opioid epidemic and ways that the Middle Brook looks to combat addiction.
In this week's episode of Podcast from Washington, Eli Briggs and Ian Goldstein are back after a brief hiatus to discuss the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018. Found out how much funding Congress will appropriate to public health programs in the FY2018 and FY2019 appropriations budget.
Next, Eli and Ian discuss the President's FY2019 budget proposal that Congress has said is "dead on arrival." Find out what's in the budget proposal along with the proposed cuts to the CDC and HHS.
Finally, Eli and Ian talk about NACCHO's Week of Congressional Action where you can find out how to get involved in public health advocacy without leaving your local health department!
On this week’s episode of “Podcast from Washington,” NACCHO Government Affairs staff Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discussed the confirmation hearing on the nomination of Alex Azar as Health and Human Services Secretary. They also discuss the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) reauthorization and a continuing resolution to fund the government after January 19.
Later in the program, NACCHO’s Kabaye Diriba and Chevelle Glymph discuss the Medical Reserve Corps 2017 Profile Study.
In this week's episode of Podcast from Washington Ian Goldstein and Eli Briggs discuss the tax plan passed by Congress and the effects on public health. Also, Congress must pass a Continuing Resolution to keep the Federal Government funded after December 22.
Later in the program, an interview with Dean for the Boston University School of Public Health Dr. Sandro Galea. Dr. Galea discussed his presentation at NACCHO Annual 2017 on the rising costs of healthcare per capita in the US versus other developed nations around the world. He also discussed health outcomes and how those outcomes are predicted by zip code.