Strong administrative and organizational capacity is vital for efficiently-deployed public health funds to support infrastructure and critical population health needs. ASTHO supports State and Territorial public health agency Administrative Readiness (STAR) and operational excellence by connecting members to high quality resources, tools, and model practices that modernize and strengthen administrative and organizational capacity.

ASTHO STAR technical assistance to members currently focuses on improving business processes, accelerating administrative processes for timely public health response, and assessing current organizational capacity for opportunities to strengthen systems.

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If you would like more information about the STAR Center, please reach out to ASTHO's team of experts.

Email the STAR Center Team

Success Stories


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Advanced Grant Payments: Creating a More Equitable Public Health System

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) recognizes challenges related to funding smaller or less-established organizations that may face barriers receiving grant funding (e.g., not having the necessary upfront capital to cover initial project costs). CDPHE is taking bold steps to improve administrative processes for grant funded programs, and these steps will go a long way towards ensuring that smaller community-based organizations have the resources they need to succeed, creating greater equity in the public health system.


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Improving Performance Management in Licking County, Ohio’s Environmental Health Operations

The Licking County, Ohio Environmental Health Department has implemented a comprehensive performance management system, including streamlining performance tracking, effectively communicating measures, and pursuing equitable strategies. They have learned the importance of properly pacing the integration of performance management and aligning measures with health outcomes and equity.


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Alabama’s Positive Transformation Through Cross-Cutting PHIG Workplans

The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) is an example of an agency that has successfully worked with a cross-cutting team to implement its PHIG workplan. This article highlights the successes and challenges that ADPH shared during an ASTHO-hosted webinar on implementing PHIG workplans. ADPH focused on effective agency systems and communication for advancing PHIG workplan goals.

U.S. Virgin Islands: Working Together to Modernize Business Processes

This video highlights key takeaways and lessons learned from U.S. Virgin Islands' Interagency Business Process Improvement initiative. Participants discuss their experience collaborating across agencies toward improving grants management.

Indiana's Approach to Quickly Onboarding Personnel During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The Indiana Department of Health (ISDH) was proactive in taking steps to secure needed personnel during the COVID 19 pandemic. This video highlights strategies ISDH took to be administratively ready to recruit, hire, and onboard personnel. It also shares how the department addressed challenges and monitored impact. In sharing their experience, ISDH offers states and island areas the opportunity to explore methods to improve administrative readiness in their own jurisdiction.

Timely Spending: North Carolina's Approach to Efficiently Utilizing Federal Funds

This video highlights the North Carolina Division of Public Health’s (NCDPH) administrative readiness strategies, partnerships, and metrics to support an efficient use of federal funding. By learning about NCDPH’s experiences, states and island jurisdictions can explore methods that can help build capacity to strengthen their public health readiness.

Featured

Two people sitting at a table with books and papers in front of them in a bright office setting having a conversation.

U.S. Virgin Island’s Federal Grant Planning and Set Up Process Improvement

This infographic details strategies for improving the speed and quality of the U.S. Virgin Islands’s Federal Grant Management “Plan and Set Up” process.

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ASTHO's Process Improvement Readiness Assessment Tool

This tool is designed to assess an organization or teams’ readiness for undertaking an effective process improvement initiative.

Explore the Tool (PDF)

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Strengthening Grant Management Functions in Puerto Rico

This infographic, which is available in English and Spanish, explores how the Puerto Rico Department of Health is using the Grants Management Office Structure Optimization Toolkit as a guide for improving internal grants management capacity and oversight to maximize federal funding outcomes.

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Performance Management Leadership Guide

This resource includes guidance from current and previous state health officials who have implemented various performance management systems within their agency.

Get the Guide (PDF)

Performance Management Techniques for Successful Decision-Making

The first of two webinars explores performance management systems in public health, focusing on developing impactful goals, objectives, and metrics.

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ASTHO STAR Center Overview

Learn more about this support hub created to enhance administrative and organizational readiness at state and territorial health agencies.

Open the One-Pager (PDF)