Access Policy Committee
Chair: Karyl Rattay (DE)
The Access Policy Committee assesses policy and programmatic issues related to access to health services, particularly for vulnerable and at-risk populations. Its focus includes issues of importance to primary care and maternal and child health. The Committee provides ongoing oversight for the Primary Care and Maternal and Child Health projects, funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Bureau of Primary Health Care and Maternal and Child Health Bureau and the Partners in Clinical Care Project funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Center for Health Marketing.
E-Health Policy Committee
Chair: Gregory Larkin (IN)
Formerly named the Public Health Informatics Policy Committee, this committee provides state-based leadership and policy recommendations to strengthen the ability of ASTHO members and partners to use informatics in making key public health decisions.
Environmental Health Policy Committee
Chair: Margaret Donnelly (MO)
The Committee provides unique, state-based expertise and leadership for environmental health policy and practice. The Committee has actively pursued strengthening the long eroded infrastructure and capacity of state and territorial health agency based environmental health programs, targeting surveillance strategies and the workforce among other issues. Further, the Committee has taken the initiative to bolster policy and practice in areas that include climate change, the built environment and safe food and water.
Health Reform Policy Committee
Chair: Mary Selecky (WA)
The Committee was created in December 2007 in recognition of the ever-growing tide of state health reform efforts that are underway as well as the momentum at the federal level to implement health reform. The committee provides guidance and leadership in addressing the role of public health in health reform at a national level. The purpose of the committee is to guide ASTHO in addressing national and state level issues regarding the role of public health in a transformed system.
Infectious Disease Policy Committee
Chair: Terry Dwelle (ND)
The Committee assesses policy and programmatic issues related to the state and territorial role in infectious disease prevention, surveillance and outbreak response. The Committee provides ongoing oversight for the Infectious Disease and Immunization cooperative agreements, funded by CDC, and is active in a range of policy issues including biosurveillance; antimicrobial resistance; vaccine safety and financing; HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment; healthcare-associated infections and patient safety; and immigrant and refugee health.
Performance Improvement Policy Committee
Chair: Paul Halverson (AR)
The Committee guides the work of two major program areas at ASTHO – Public Health Services (the S/T public health survey, portfolio management, and workforce development) and Performance Improvement (voluntary accreditation, performance standards and quality improvement). The deliberations and recommendations of the Committee address national issues and assist members in overall state-wide performance improvement activities. The Committee’s charge includes review of ASTHO’s role and contributions to the development of technical assistance programs to prepare states for accreditation.
Public Health Preparedness Policy Committee
Chair: Karen Remley (VA)
The Committee provides a link between ASTHO’s members and the preparedness program area leaders within their agencies. The Committee analyzes preparedness information and public health infrastructure issues and recommends state-based public health policy in this regard. The Committee provides policy guidance to federal partners to support a prepared and sustainable public health system and assists federal partners in fulfilling the requirements of the Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness Act and Homeland Security Presidential Directive 21.
Prevention Policy Committee
Chair: Terry Cline (OK)
The Committee provides policy direction for ASTHO on broad-based health promotion and prevention initiatives. This includes oversight for the Chronic Disease Prevention, Tobacco Prevention and Control, and Injury Prevention cooperative agreements with the CDC. The Committee also has responsibility for nutrition, physical activity, injury, chronic disease risk reduction, and social environments that promote health.