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The Youth Mental Health Crisis: States Invest in Suicide Prevention, Intervention, and Postvention Strategies

Blog,
ACEs,

Following disruptions to daily life caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, emergency departments saw an increase of mental health-related visits. A June 2021 study showed a significant increase of mental health-related visits among ...

Braiding and Layering Funding to Address Supportive Housing

Blog,

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the intersections of social determinants of health, such as transportation, education, and housing, and their impact on the health of individuals and communities. As the moratorium on evictions ends in ...

Ending the HIV Epidemic: 40 Years of Progress

STIs,
HIV,
Blog,

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 ...

Strengthening Protective Factors in ACEs Prevention With Medicaid 1115 Waivers

Blog,
ACEs,

One in three individuals who contract COVID-19 will experience lasting mental health impacts, according to a recent study. This startling discovery underscores the reality facing our nation: the challenges of this last year—the public ...

Public Health Policy Issues to Watch in 2021

Blog,
STIs,
HIV,
PFAS,

With many of the state and territorial legislatures reconvening over the next few weeks, we can look forward to new (and not-so-new) legislation start to crop up that will impact public health. To help navigate the new legislative ...

State Legislative Activity Supports Federal Evidence-Based HIV Prevention Initiative

Blog,
STIs,
HIV,

Across the nation, public health agencies have mounted herculean efforts to stem the COVID-19 pandemic while addressing a pre-existing HIV epidemic and an opioid crisis that is serving as a source for many new HIV outbreaks. Tackling these ...

Public Health Highlights of President’s FY22 Budget Proposal

Blog,

In May 2021, President Biden released full details of the fiscal year 2022 budget. Overall, the budget request combines President Biden's American Jobs Plan, his American Families Plan, and funding priorities for the Pentagon and ...

More States Consider Restricting Sale of Flavored Tobacco Products

Blog,

A pressing public health issue before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the need for public health interventions to reduce tobacco use is heightened with a strong association between tobacco use, in all forms, with severe COVID-19 outcomes. ...

Recent Federal Actions Spur Changes to Children's Blood Lead Level Screenings and Response

Blog,
Iowa,

The COVID-19 pandemic introduced new challenges for screening children’s blood lead levels, as screening rates across the country dropped during stay-at-home orders. A substantive federal policy change and provisions in the Infrastructure ...

Proposed Vaccination Laws to Watch in the New Year

Blog,
STIs,
HIV,
PFAS,

Vaccines are one of the greatest public health achievements of the last century, as well as some of the most powerful and cost-effective tools to prevent disease, disparities, disability, and death among children and adults. The COVID-19 ...

COVID-19 and Beyond: Improving Youth Mental Health Outcomes and Disparities

Blog,
Utah,

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted both the physical and mental health well-being of youth. Disruptions in both their home and school life have put youth at risk for poor mental health outcomes that include increased anxiety, depression, ...

Stronger Together: Six Strategies to Enhance Your State’s Suicide Prevention Infrastructure

Blog,
Ohio,
Utah,

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and the importance of continued mental health promotion and suicide prevention efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. As we address the physical effects of COVID-19 through social distancing, mask ...

Modernizing State HIV Laws: Legislation to Prevent and Decriminalize HIV

Blog,
STIs,
HIV,

Though we’ve made progress on the number of HIV cases in the U.S, tens of thousands of Americans are diagnosed with HIV each year—a disproportionate number being people of color. In 2019, the federal government launched the Ending the HIV ...

Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome: State Considerations for 2021

Blog,

Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) has become more prevalent in the United States, with the hospitalization rate increasing from 2.9 to 7.3 hospitalizations per 1,000 newborn births between 2009 and 2017. NAS occurs in newborns who ...

Despite Major Benefits, Flavored Tobacco Regulations Face an Uphill Battle Led by Big Tobacco

Blog,

Flavored tobacco policy has changed rapidly over the past few months. In April, FDA announced their intention to implement rules prohibiting the sale of menthol e-cigarettes and flavored cigars, though it may take years until they ...

Insular Areas Consider Variety of Public Health Related Legislation

Blog,
PFAS,
Guam,

Each year, ASTHO tracks and analyzes key legislation that impacts public health, and highlights the emerging trends for our members. While the bulk of the tracked legislation arises in state legislatures, ASTHO also follows legislation ...

Youth Sports as a Protective Factor to Promote Resiliency

Blog,

Every year in mid-July is National Youth Sports Week—in 2021 it falls on July 19-23. It’s an important health observance because youth sports create strong connections with peers and caring adults, as well as promote socio-emotional skills ...

Increasing Naloxone Accessibility to Prevent Opioid Overdoses

Blog,

With data showing the number of the opioid overdose deaths escalated during the COVID-19 pandemic, access to naloxone, a medication that can reverse an opioid overdose, continues to be an important topic for policy makers. The number of ...

How States are Preparing for Opioid Settlement Funds

Blog,
Ohio,

The opioid crisis continues to claim the lives of thousands across the United States and has cost the economy billions in health care, mortality, and criminal justice costs. In 2018, it’s estimated that 67,367 people died of overdose, with ...

States Explore the Relationship Between Partner Violence and Substance Use Disorders

Blog,

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 and mental health challenges, and ...