In this week’s podcast, the National Association of County and City Health Officials’ Adriane Casalotti, Chief of Government and Public Affairs, and Lauren Mastroberardino, Government Affairs Senior Specialist, provided an update on the debt ceiling, which has been suspended until January 1, 2025, as well as detail on some of the spending limits and claw-backs of previously appropriated funds. They also discussed Dr. Rochelle Walensky’s announced departure from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, provided updates on the reauthorization of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), and examined the reestablishment of the bipartisan Congressional Caucus to End the Youth Vaping Epidemic. 

Later in the program, NACCHO Communications Specialist Beth Hess spoke with Dr. Mary-Margaret Fill, Deputy State Epidemiologist for the Tennessee Department of Health. Dr. Fill joined the 2023 Preparedness Summit in April as one of the plenary speakers on the topic of One Health. One Health is a collaborative and transdisciplinary approach of achieving optimal health by recognizing the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment. They discussed the importance of integrating One Health in ongoing prevention, detection, preparedness, and response initiatives and how local public health professionals can incorporate One Health in their planning and response activities.