ASTHO Statement on President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology’s Report on Supporting the U.S. Public Health Workforce

May 02, 2023

ARLINGTON, VA—The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) CEO Michael Fraser, PhD, made the following statement today regarding the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology’s Report on Supporting the U.S. Public Health Workforce:

“ASTHO appreciates the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology’s new report and recommendations for supporting the U.S. public health workforce. Low pay, limited career advancement opportunities, work overload, and burnout are contributing to unprecedented turnover and vacancies in public health agencies leaving states and communities vulnerable to preventable diseases and harm.

The public health workforce has sacrificed a great deal to ensure our health and safety prior to and since the COVID-19 pandemic. Our ability to attract, hire, develop and retain diverse public health workers requires that we reinvigorate our efforts to address the challenges they face with an eye toward our future – not just the past.

We call on Congress and the Administration to work together to support these strategies, increase public health investments, and work across all levels of government to build a strong and effective public health workforce.”

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ASTHO is the national nonprofit organization representing the public health agencies of the United States, the U.S. territories and freely associated states, and Washington, D.C., as well as the more than 100,000 public health professionals these agencies employ. ASTHO members, the chief health officials of these jurisdictions, are dedicated to formulating and influencing sound public health policy and to ensuring excellence in public health practice.