October 24, 2025

NACCHO's Podcast from Washington: Update on the Government Shutdown and How NACCHO Research Helps Advance the Work of Local Health Departments

16 minutes

This month's podcast episode from the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) includes discussion on the ongoing federal government shutdown, mass layoffs of federal workers, and potential impacts on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) programs, which could impact local health department services. For weekly updates, subscribe to NACCHO's News from Washington newsletter: www.naccho.org/advocacy/news.

Later in the program (8:15), NACCHO experts discuss how various research studies throughout the year serve as the backbone of what is known about local health departments across the United States. This research is then used in peer-reviewed papers that local health departments can use as resources to strengthen their own planning processes. NACCHO releases seven major national studies, including its two flagship studies, the National Profile of Local Health Departments Study (Profile) and the Forces of Change Survey. Both studies have been conducted for decades, so together they provide a stable, long-term picture and a real-time snapshot of what's changing in local public health. This research is instrumental to contributing to the understanding of local health departments and their needs and is valuable in helping local health departments assess the effectiveness of their health strategies and services.

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About NACCHO

The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the over 3,300 local governmental health departments across the country. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote health and well-being for all people in their communities. For more information, visit www.naccho.org.

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