Hispanic Heritage Month takes place annually from September 15-October 15 to celebrate the history, culture, achievements, and influence of the Hispanic and Latinx community in the U.S. In ...
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a critical moment to address intimate partner violence as a major public health threat. Intimate partner violence associated with substance use disorders ...
The COVID-19 pandemic has further amplified the need for strong tobacco prevention and cessation policies. Research indicates that tobacco use is associated with increased rate of COVID-19 disease ...
Public health data collection and surveillance systems by health departments are in dire need of modernization. Though the public health community began developing a path to modernization over the ...
On Aug. 11, 2021, CDC updated its guidance on COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant or breastfeeding individuals. We’ve answered seven common questions about the new guidance and what it means for state ...
You may be wondering why we should vote in the middle of a pandemic, when there are so many stresses on our lives and the process feels so polarized. But voting has a direct impact on health. It is ...
Recent state laws and governor emergency orders prohibiting universal school mask protocols are complicating the implementation of CDC’s evidence-based guidance for COVID-19 mitigation measures for ...
As governments and private entities adopt COVID-19 vaccine protocols to protect health and safety, legal challenges are mounting. In some states, policymakers have proactively attempted to limit or ...
The impact of the COVID-19 response on the public health workforce has been profoundly felt by employees and the agencies they serve. Across the country, unplanned leadership transitions, early ...
Midterm Elections: Predictions on Congressional Priorities for Upcoming Session astho, association of state and territorial health officials, public health, opioid crisis, congressional priorities, ...
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 ...
This Health Policy Update is an overview of state legislative activity addressing access to and support for breastfeeding or lactation practices.
The National School Lunch Program, a federally-assisted meal program run by USDA, has provided millions of children with nutritionally balanced, low-cost or no-cost lunches each school day.
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 ...
As leaders of their state agency, state and territorial health officials can be named parties in lawsuits alleging that an action taken by a public health agency was unlawful. These officials are ...
Policymakers seek to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by focusing on non-congregate sheltering and alternative housing for unhoused populations.
The findings detailed in this report were gathered during a series of School Behavioral Health Advisory Committee convenings in spring 2021. The goal was identify policy gaps and strategies for ...
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 ...
The fear, uncertainty, and trauma caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have affected how individuals interpret public health messages. With this in mind, this brief outlines recommendations for case ...
In the spring of 2022, ASTHO’s island area members convened at the first island-focused COVID-19 Health Equity Action Institutes and asked each other what creating an equitable and sustainable public ...