This policy update emphasizes the importance of policymakers choosing to increase funding for public health infrastructure and important initiatives, such as health equity, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This June marked the 40-year anniversary of the first five cases of what later became known as AIDS reported in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Since then, more than 32 million people have died from the disease worldwide and ...
When rural hospitals close, it increases the distance people must travel for essential healthcare services. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted and magnified the factors leading to rural hospital closures across the country. Many ...
Jonathan Mermin of CDC discusses how using a syndemic approach could help health departments to address rising STI rates more effectively
Rural hospital closures exacerbate poor socioeconomic conditions, job loss, cost of health services, transportation times and barriers, and inequitable access to quality care, all of which contribute to unfavorable maternal and infant ...
ASTHO has been helping jurisdictions prepare for and respond to the needs of people with disabilities during public health emergencies by embedding disability preparedness specialists in 16 state and 2 territorial health agencies.
Kim Henderson, formerly of DC Health, reflects on her experience and role leading public health communications for the nation’s capital.
This ASTHOBrief discusses how breastfeeding acts as a protective factor for maternal mental health, negative impacts of COVID-19 on breastfeeding and maternal mental health, state actions to improve maternal mental healthcare and lactation ...
In 2021, ASTHO convened state environmental health directors and directors of public health preparedness to discuss innovations developed during the COVID-19 pandemic such as virtual inspections. This ASTHOBrief explores how state health ...
ASTHO Helping Agencies and Providers Advance Vaccine Equity vaccine equity toolkit, community-based vaccine outreach, public health vaccine partnerships, increasing vaccine confidence, vaccine equity strategies, vaccination rates, ...
States and territories can reduce adverse childhood experiences through evidence-based primary prevention strategies designed to reduce risk factors.
Recap the state legislative sessions in 2025 thus far, spanning maternal health, infectious disease, and other important public health issues.
This ASTHO report, which was co-authored with the World Institute on Disabilities, answers top questions around disability preparedness initiatives, and prioritizes inclusive planning while providing overarching guidance that can be ...
In an effort to bolster COVID-19 response efforts, state and territorial health agencies looked to update or implement new digital tools and technologies. In response, ASTHO developed a COVID-19 Technology & Digital Tools Inventory to ...
While the COVID-19 response has strained tobacco prevention and control efforts, the pandemic has afforded health officials unique opportunities to retool their tobacco prevention response. This brief spotlights new findings on tobacco use ...
In October 2021, the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and Children’s Hospital Association declared a joint national state of emergency in children’s mental health. The declaration stated ...
To ensure that establishments were abiding by food safety rules during the COVID-19 pandemic and to protect the health of professionals who inspect these facilities, multiple state health agencies implemented virtual inspection protocols.
The Public Health Transformation Series explores how health department programs, policies, and partnerships have adapted and evolved to serve their constituencies.
This post explores the importance of including maternal and child health considerations in infectious disease emergency preparedness and response in states, territories, and freely associated states.