Dr. Sameer Vohra, Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, discusses the Op-Ed he co-authored in the Chicago Tribune on the progress his state has made in treating HIV; Brandon Kufalk, STI Unit Supervisor for the state of Wisconsin, explains the dramatic increase in Syphilis rates since 2019 and how his state has worked to reduce cases; a new ASTHO brief provides key considerations for STI programs during an emergency response; the next session of ASTHO’s Public Health Nursing Learning Lab Series takes place on September 24th; and in recognition of Suicide Prevention Month, ASTHO has resources that can help public health leaders protect the communities they serve. 

Chicago Tribune: Ending the HIV epidemic is in sight. We can't stop now.

Wisconsin Dept of Health Services: New Data Show Congenital Syphilis Increasing in Wisconsin While Other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) Decrease

ASTHO Brief: Prioritizing Cases and Contacts: Considerations for STI Programs During Emergency Response

ASTHO Webinar: Public Health Nursing Workforce Learning Lab - A Series

ASTHO Web Page: Suicide Prevention Offices and Committees Legal Map

Dr. Jen Layden, Senior Vice President for Population Health and Innovation at ASTHO, discusses her previous experience in data modernization and what’s to come as she takes on her new role; Dr. Rick Neitzel, professor of environmental health sciences at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, talks about the University’s partnership with Apple to study hearing and the impact of noise pollution; ASTHO invites state agencies to apply to be one of four states chosen for an in-person ethical wastewater surveillance training opportunity; and ASTHO welcomes new member Dr. Meg Sullivan, Deputy Secretary of Public Health Services at the Maryland Department of Health. 

University of Michigan: Collaboration with Apple and World Health Organization studies sound exposure impacts on hearing

ASTHO Web Page: Ethical Analysis for Infectious Disease Wastewater Surveillance Training Opportunity

Meg Sullivan Bio

Dr. Catherine Brown, State Epidemiologist and State Public Health Veterinarian at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, discusses ASTHO’s recent meeting with the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) and the importance of the One Health approach; a recent ASTHO blog article details the importance of preparing to ensure animals are accounted for during radiological incidents; Dr. Dave Chokshi, Chair of the Common Health Coalition, explains the changes made to FDA regulations ahead of respiratory vaccination season, and how the coalition can help public health leaders prepare; and ASTHO will hold its next succession planning webinar on September 18th, with a focus on laying the groundwork and incorporating data into planning efforts. 

ASTHO Web Page: One Health Webinars

ASTHO Blog: Planning for Animal Needs During a Radiological Incident

Common Health Coalition

ASTHO Webinar: Succession Planning Part 2 of 3: Laying the Groundwork

Dr. Lindsay Weaver, State Health Commissioner of Indiana, discusses the public health programs that Indiana employed to achieve its lowest infant mortality rate in more than a century; Corinne Gillenwater, Analyst of Chronic Disease and Health Improvement at ASTHO, shares how ASTHO’s new e-learning module can equip Community Health Workers (CHWs) with the tools and resources they need to support healthy aging in individuals with Alzheimer's disease; the highlights from ASTHO’s recent INSPIRE: Readiness webinar on communicating with data during infectious disease emergencies are now available online; and the PHIG Partners Public Health Data Modernization Implementation Center Program is hosting two Q&A sessions for public health agencies to learn more about applying to Wave 2.

Indiana Department of Health: HEALTH DEPARTMENT CELEBRATES HISTORIC DECREASE IN INFANT MORTALITY RATE

ASTHO Learning Module: Equipping Community Health Workers to Address Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias in Their Communities

ASTHO Web Page: Highlights from INSPIRE: Readiness - Communicating About Data and Surveillance During Infectious Disease Emergencies

PHIG Partners: Public Health Data Modernization IC Program Wave 2 Q&A (Session 1)

Dr. Dan Edney, ASTHO Member and State Health Officer of the Mississippi State Department of Health, and Dr. Susan Kansagra, Chief Medical Officer at ASTHO, discuss the Rural Health Transformation Program and the recent ASTHO panels that covered what states can expect and how some agencies are preparing; Tim Rosselet, Manager of Digital Learning and Design at ASTHO, shares more about Thursday’s upcoming Ignite, Accelerate, and Activate webinar session on emotional intelligence skills in the public health workplace; ASTHO is looking for state agencies to apply to participate in ethical wastewater surveillance trainings, which will take place in-person in four selected states; and ASTHO’s evidence-based technical packages can help departments improve community health interventions with tactical tools and strategies. 

ASTHO Blog: Understanding and Applying for the Rural Health Transformation Program

ASTHO Webinar: Ignite, Accelerate, and Activate: Series 3, Session 1: Building Emotional Intelligence Skills

ASTHO Web Page: Ethical Analysis for Infectious Disease Wastewater Surveillance Training Opportunity

ASTHO Resource: Evidence-Based Public Health

Dr. Arti Barnes, Chief Medical Officer at the Illinois Department of Public Health, describes how her agency is working collaboratively with other state departments to enhance access to pediatric vaccinations; Jeffrey Ekoma, Senior Director of Government Affairs at ASTHO, discusses changes to the CDC, this month’s federal funding deadline, and more news from Capitol Hill in this week’s View From Washington, D.C. report; a full-length recording of ASTHO’s webinar on Navigating Ethical Issues in Wastewater Surveillance for Infectious Diseases is now available online; and ASTHO congratulates new member Dr. John Dunn on his appointment as Interim Commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Health. 

ASTHO Newscast: 925: KFF Tracking Poll, Youth Vaccines

ASTHO Legislative Alert: Summary of FY26 House LHHS Appropriations Bill

ASTHO Web Page: INSPIRE: Readiness - Navigating Ethical Issues in Wastewater Surveillance for Infectious Diseases

John Dunn Bio

Former ASTHO President Dr. Anne Zink, Senior Clinical Fellow at Yale University and practicing emergency medicine physician, shares how PopHIVE, a database of de-identified, population-level health data, draws data from various sources, allowing public health providers to find patterns and make informed decisions; Nicholas Porter, Director for Environmental Health at ASTHO, discusses the public health threats that exist during floods and hurricanes, and what some states are doing to protect communities; ASTHO’s Wildfire and Wildfire Smoke Guidance and Resources can help jurisdictions strengthen their emergency preparedness; and ASTHOs latest legislative alert 

PopHIVE Web Page

ASTHO Blog: Responding to Environmental Health Threats Following Hurricanes

ASTHO Web Page: Wildfire and Wildfire Smoke Guidance and Resources

Former ASTHO President Dr. Anne Zink, Senior Clinical Fellow at Yale University and practicing emergency medicine physician, shares how PopHIVE, an interactive database of de-identified, population-level health data, can help public health providers navigate health trends in their respective jurisdictions; Joy Ermie, Health Commissioner of Henry County Health Department, discusses ASTHO’s upcoming webinar series on succession planning explains how it can help address various public health challenges; Dr. Sameer Vohra, Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, gave the closing keynote last week at the National Conference on Tobacco or Health in Chicago; and ASTHO's State and Territorial Administrative Readiness (STAR) Center offers resources, tools, and best practices to help your agency build infrastructure and address critical population health needs.

PopHIVE Web Page

ASTHO Webinar: Succession Planning Part 1 of 3: Building the Case for Succession Planning

National Conference on Tobacco or Health (2025)

ASTHO Resource: State and Territorial Administrative Readiness (STAR) Center

Sara Patterson, Acting Director of CDC’s Public Health Infrastructure Center, details her view of the Public Health Infrastructure Grant.

PHIG Partners Web Page

PHIG Newsletter

Madison Hluchan, ASTHO Assistant Director of Medicaid Health Systems Partnerships, details how a new ASTHO resource can help your team with the Rural Health Transformation Program; and JoAnne Deehr, ASTHO Senior Analyst for State Health Policy, shares prevention and response policies to reduce overdoses involving synthetic opioids.

ASTHO Blog Article: Understanding and Applying for the Rural Health Transformation Program

ASTHO Blog Article: Prevention and Response Policies to Reduce Overdoses Involving Synthetic Opioids

ASTHO Web Page: Legislative Alerts