Congress returns from its August recess facing a packed fall agenda, with federal funding, public health leadership and the looming midterm elections shaping what lawmakers can accomplish before the end of the year. On this View from Washington D.C., ASTHO’s Vice President of Government Affairs, Jeffrey Ekoma, discusses the latest developments on Capitol Hill: the continuing resolution that will keep the federal government funded through December 11, what to watch in negotiations over FY2027 funding, and what to watch for after the midterms in November.

FAQ for Preparing for CBRNE Emergencies at Mass Gatherings | ASTHO

How Public Health Agencies Can Use Podcasts to Tell the Stories That Matter

Medical examiners and coroners sit at a critical intersection of public health, health care, law enforcement, and vital statistics, generating data that can provide important insight into why people die. Dan Tauriello, senior analyst for public health data modernization and informatics at ASTHO, explains how modernizing data systems in medical examiner and coroner offices can improve efficiency, strengthen connections with public health, and create better access to timely information.  Tauriello discusses the importance of interoperability and common standards, including FHIR, as well as the often-overlooked challenge of getting public health agencies, medical examiners, coroners, software vendors, and other partners speaking the same language. Even relatively small improvements in the time required to process an individual case can add up to hundreds of hours of work saved each year.
Vital Insights: Medical Examiners and Coroners... : Journal of Public Health Management & Practice

Data Modernization Primer and Tactical Guides | ASTHO

Leading Change October 2026

South Carolina is investing in public health infrastructure designed not just to meet today’s needs, but to prepare for the next crisis. Brannon Traxler, acting director for the South Carolina Department of Public Health, and an ASTHO member discusses the state’s new public health and environmental laboratory, built to replace an aging facility that struggled to handle the demands of COVID-19 testing and modern laboratory equipment. The new lab is one of a small number of CDC Laboratory Response Network Level 1 facilities capable of high-volume surge testing for chemical threats and other emergencies.

Hurricane Response and Recovery | ASTHO

How Hurricane Ian Led to South Carolina’s New System for Natural Disaster Response | ASTHO

The traditional respiratory virus season hasn’t started, but Covid is already climbing | CNN

Public health systems need sustained investment in the workforce, infrastructure, data and technology that allow them to protect communities. In New Jersey, PHIG funding is helping strengthen those foundations. In this PHIG Impact Report, Dr. Raynard Washington, ASTHO member and Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Health, discusses how the state is using PHIG funding to support local health departments, rebuild and develop the public health workforce, improve succession planning and modernize fragmented data systems. He also explains how New Jersey is making more public health data accessible to residents, including immunization coverage at the municipal level, and strengthening its communications infrastructure to better reach communities in an increasingly crowded information environment.

This work is supported by funds made available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), National Center for STLT Public Health Infrastructure and Workforce, through OE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠22-2203⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: Strengthening U.S. Public Health Infrastructure, Workforce, and Data Systems grant. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

Public Health Infrastructure Grant: Resources & Impact - PHIG

International Overdose Awareness Day is an opportunity to spotlight the importance of being prepared to respond when overdose spikes occur. Overdose spikes can develop rapidly, leaving public health and safety agencies with a narrow window to respond. In Alaska, public health, public safety, tribal health, treatment and recovery organizations, and community partners used a tabletop exercise developed by ASTHO and the Overdose Response Strategy (ORS) to test a statewide overdose spike response protocol and identify where preparedness efforts needed to improve.  ORS is a unique public health and public safety partnership between the Office of National Drug Control Policy and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through their support of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program and the CDC Foundation. ORS connects public health and public safety agencies so they can share timely information and support innovative, evidence-based strategies to reduce overdoses and save lives. Michael Jurasek, a CDC Foundation public health analyst with the ORS program serving Alaska, discusses how the exercise helped Alaska strengthen notification systems, engage populations at heightened risk, and build relationships with new partners. He also shares how lessons from the exercise were put into practice during a real-world overdose cluster and why jurisdictions should treat preparedness as an ongoing, iterative process.

Public Health Responds to the Overdose Crisis | ASTHO

Overdose Spike Preparedness Exercise Tabletop in a Box | ASTHO

Leading Change October 2026
Beyond the RHTP Buzz: Is Your Rural Community Ready to Scale What Works?

Community health workers (CHWs) play a vital role in connecting people with the health and social services they need, making them an important part of efforts to improve brain health and support people living with dementia. In recognition of National Community Health Worker’s Week, Corinne Gillenwater, senior analyst for Chronic Disease and Health Improvement, discusses ASTHO’s updated e-learning course for CHWs on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. She explains how feedback from CHWs across the country shaped the new 2.0 version, which covers dementia risk reduction, early detection, caregiving, healthy aging across the life course, and resource navigation. She also shares early results showing increased knowledge and skills among participants, as well as examples of how CHWs are applying the training in their communities.

PHRME - Infant Mortality Programs, CHW Alzheimer’s Course

Equipping Community Health Workers to Address Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias in Their Communities | astho prod

Leveraging Medicaid to Support Community Health Workers | ASTHO

Resilience among Rural Public Health Leaders during the COVID‐19 Pandemic: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study - McMillion - 2026 - The Journal of Rural Health - Wiley Online Library

Public health leaders are navigating organizational changes, funding shifts, workforce reductions, and evolving community needs. Brittany Cox, assistant commissioner of the Division of Health Disparities Elimination at the Tennessee Department of Health, discusses how an ASTHO Leading Change workshop helped her develop practical strategies for guiding her team through uncertainty. She shares how an ASTHO Readiness for Change Tool helps assess where teams are in the change process, how a visual exploration exercise opened up conversations about the challenges of change, and why connecting with public health leaders across the country has strengthened her approach to leadership.

Leading Change October 2026
Opportunities for Public Health Agencies to Advance Sustainable Financing of Community Health Worker Programs | ASTHO

Rethinking “Soft” Leadership Skills in Public Health | ASTHO

Public health agencies are being asked to do more with less while responding to rapidly changing health threats, technologies, and community needs. Danny Staley, ASTHO senior vice president of Public Health Practice and Programs, discusses how innovation and capacity building can help health departments adapt by identifying successful practices, scaling proven solutions, strengthening the workforce, and using data in new ways. He also explores how artificial intelligence could help public health professionals make sense of massive amounts of data and information, and how measuring the impact of new tools and strategies will be critical to demonstrating their value by 2029.

ASTHO's Strategic Plan | ASTHO

Equipping Community Health Workers to Address Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias in Their Communities | astho prod

It’s not just a gut feeling: Foodborne illness outbreaks are especially bad this summer | CNN

Community health workers (CHWs) help bridge the gap between the health care system and the everyday realities of the people it serves. They connect patients to care and community resources, support chronic disease management, and help people navigate barriers such as transportation, provider shortages, and limited broadband access. In recognition of National Community Health Workers Week, ASTHO’s Ashley Cram explains how states are supporting this essential workforce through training, supervision, career pathways, and sustainable funding.

How States Leverage Policy to Build Up Community Health Workers | ASTHO

Community Health Worker Certification by Jurisdiction | ASTHO

Rethinking Efficiency in Public Health | AJPH | Vol. 116 Issue 9

As the 2026–27 respiratory virus season approaches, state health departments are preparing communities for influenza, COVID-19, and RSV while working to strengthen vaccine confidence and access. On today’s show, we’ll hear excerpts from a briefing on Tuesday, August 18, where public health leaders from Connecticut, Alabama, New York, and Alaska discussed strategies for reaching people through trusted messengers, addressing vaccine hesitancy with empathy, and making vaccination easier to access. The leaders also share lessons from recent respiratory virus seasons, including the impact of flu, RSV, and COVID-19 on hospitalizations and children, and explain how coordination among state, local, federal, tribal, and community partners help health departments respond to emerging threats. From Alaska's vaccine procurement program and immunization information system to New York's community-based approach to vaccine outreach, the briefing highlights how preparation, communication, and strong public health partnerships can help protect communities.

Building Resilient Immunization Programs: A 2026-2031 Roadmap for Public Health Leadership | ASTHO

COVID-19 | ASTHO

Influenza | ASTHO