ASTHO Applauds Passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act For Its Investment in Public Health
Prevention and Public Health Fund to Provide Sustained National Investment in Public Health
(Arlington, VA) March 22, 2010 – The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) applauds the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act late last night. The bill expands health services to millions of uninsured Americans, establishes a national prevention strategy, and creates a funding stream for state population-based public health programs. The Public Health Investment Fund will support core public health functions, community prevention initiatives, an increased public health workforce, and public health prevention and research activities.
“This is an historic, once in a lifetime investment in public health,” said ASTHO President Paul K. Halverson, DrPH, Director, Division of Health, Arkansas Department of Human Services. “The Public Health Investment Fund will create a 21st century health system that results in optimal health for all and a longer life span and healthier quality of life for succeeding generations. Such a system prioritizes prevention; supports healthy environments and lifestyles; provides preventive and primary health care for every person; eliminates inequities in health status; and protects people and communities from existing and emerging health threats.”
“Investing in state and territorial public health systems is a direct investment in the health and wellness of the American people,” said ASTHO Executive director Paul E. Jarris, MD. “State and community-based programs reduce the financial burden on our health system by preventing disease, illness, and injury before they occur. This bill puts the emphasis where it belongs, on prevention.”
Workforce provisions in the bill <http://www.astho.org/ Programs/Health-Reform/> will strengthen the recruitment and retention of public health professionals. At a time when the United States is facing new and recurring public health threats such as the H1N1 novel influenza virus, governmental public health agencies are struggling to carry out their core responsibilities with a workforce that has lost over 25,500 employees in the last two years <http://www.astho.org/Research/Data-and-Analysis/Budget-Cuts-Impact-(Final)/>. Incentives such as scholarships and loan repayment, in return for service in governmental health departments, will help to attract critically needed public health workers so that state and local public health agencies can respond to natural and manmade disasters, infections disease outbreaks, foodborne illness, and other public health threats and emergencies.
About ASTHO
ASTHO is the national non-profit organization representing the public health agencies of the United States, the U.S. Territories, and the District of Columbia. ASTHO members, the chief health officials of these jurisdictions, are dedicated to formulating and influencing sound public health policy and to assuring excellence in state-based public health practice.
Contact: Paula Steib 202-371-9090; psteib@astho.org