The pandemic has put public health in the spotlight across the world. But in the United States local public health departments have been chronically underfunded, and Connecticut is no exception.

This hour, we hear from a local health director about the challenges public health departments in Connecticut are facing, even as the state celebrates high vaccination rates compared with other states.

And, we look beyond the pandemic: what should the public health workforce of the future look like?

GUESTS:

• Michelle Smith - Reporter for the Associated Press covering public health and the pandemic
• Jennifer Kertanis - Director of Health for the Farmington Valley Health District and Board President of the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO)
• Fatawu Mahama - Community Health Worker with Southwestern Area Health Education Center (AHEC) in Shelton Connecticut.
• Tim Klufas - Recent public health certificate graduate from UConn Health. He is currently working as a contact tracer and is also a member of the Governor’s vaccine allocation subcommittee.

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