Courtney Anderson, a Director with ASTHO’s Environmental Health Team, discusses a blog article on Alpha-Gal Syndrome that was one of ASTHO’s most popular resources of 2024; Catherine Murphy, a Government Affairs Analyst for ASTHO, uses past examples to see how key players in the 119th Congress might prioritize public health; an ASTHO webinar today focuses on the Building Capacity to Advance Health program; on January 29th, STRETCH will host its 4th national meeting; and the CDC has issued a Health Alert Network Health Advisory for clinicians and laboratories to accelerate the subtyping of influenza A-positive patients.

ASTHO Blog Article: What Health Officials Should Know About Alpha-Gal Syndrome

ASTHO Blog Article: ASTHO’s Most Popular Resources of 2024

ASTHO Blog Article: Key Players and Health Policy Insights for 119th Congress

ASTHO Webinar: Centering Community-Led Strategies to Sustainable Public Health Financing

ASTHO Webinar: BCAH Informational Session

CDC Web Page: Accelerated Subtyping of Influenza A in Hospitalized Patients

Melissa Magstadt, Secretary of Health for the South Dakota Department of Health, explains how her state has used Public Health Infrastructure Grant funding to bolster public health.

PHIG Partners Web Page

PHIG Newsletter

Natasha Harper Levy, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at ASTHO, tells us the importance of racial healing as we get ready to celebrate the National Day of Racial Healing; an ASTHO blog article dives into how you can integrate race and ethnicity data into public health; Jeffrey Ekoma, ASTHO Senior Director for Government Affairs, tells us what the new administration might aim to do early on; and on January 22nd an ASTHO webinar will help you learn how the Building Capacity to Advance Health program can elevate your leadership skills in governmental public health.

National Racial Day of Healing Web Page

ASTHO Blog Article: Integrating Race and Ethnicity Data in Public Health: Local, State, and Territorial Insights

ASTHO Webinar: BCAH Informational Session

Dr. Laura Herrera Scott, Secretary of Health for the Maryland Department of Health and an ASTHO Member, tells us how Maryland was the first state to sign on to the AHEAD Model released by CMS; Jessica Byrski, Senior Policy Analyst for the National Emergency Management Association, previews a webinar focused on North Carolina’s Hurricane Helene response; and the California Air Resources Board and the California Department of Public Health have developed resources to safeguard communities during smoke events.

Maryland Web Page: AHEAD Model

Maryland News Release: Governor Moore Signs Historic Agreement to Advance Innovative and Equitable Health Care, Lower Health Care Costs for Marylanders

NEMA Webinar: Navigating Crisis Communication: Lessons from North Carolina's Response to Hurricane Helene

AirNow Web Page: Wildfire Smoke – A Guide for Public Health Officials

Wildfire Smoke – Considerations for California’s Public Health Officials

Dr. Russell Dunkel, President of the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors, tells us why dental health is so important to public health; Keith A. James, Program Manager for Workforce Development and Health Equity for the U.S. Virgin Island Department of Health, explains how others can address workforce challenges with island-centric strategies; and an ASTHO report outlines ASTHO’s most popular resources of 2024.

ASTHO Web Page: Joint and Affiliate Councils

Association‌ of‌ State‌ &‌ Territorial‌ Dental‌ Directors Web Page

ASTHO Report: Leveraging Island-Centric Strategies to Address Workforce Challenges

ASTHO Report: Improving Indirect Cost Rate Use in Island Jurisdictions

ASTHO Blog Article: ASTHO’s Most Popular Resources of 2024

ASTHO Web Page: Stay Informed

Dr. Umair Shah, Secretary of Health for the Washington State Department of Health, shares some of his proudest accomplishments as he steps away from his position; Dirk Wilke is the new Interim Commissioner of the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services; and an ASTHO webinar on January 29th will be the Strategies to Repair Equity and Transform Community Health (STRETCH) 2.0 initiative’s fourth national convening.

Fox 13 Seattle News Article: WA Secretary of Health, Dr. Umair Shah, stepping down in 2025

ASTHO Web Page: Dirk Wilke, JD, MBA 

ASTHO Webinar: Centering Community-Led Strategies to Sustainable Public Health Financing

Dr. Nilesh Kalyanaraman, Deputy Secretary for Public Health at the Maryland Department of Health and an ASTHO Member, discusses Maryland’s winter weather safety campaign; and Dr. Tobi Adeyeye Amosun, Deputy Commissioner for Population Health for the Tennessee Department of Health, tells us about a recent meeting between senior deputies and CFOs with the CDC.

Maryland Department of Health Web Page: Resources – Extreme Cold

ABC 7 News Article: Maryland Department of Health urging residents to take precautions during winter months

ASTHO Blog Article: How to Stay Safe This Winter

ASTHO Web Page: Stay Informed

Maggie Davis, ASTHO Director of State Health Policy, dives into ASTHO’s Legal Mapping Project which was one of the most popular resources on ASTHO’s website in 2024; and Carolyn Mullen, ASTHO's Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Relations, recaps how last year’s legislative session ended and gives an outlook for 2025 in this week’s View From Washington D.C. Report.

ASTHO Web Page: ASTHO’s Public Health Legal Mapping Center

ASTHO Web Page: ASTHO’s Most Popular Resources of 2024

Dr. Yngvild Olsen, Director of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment at SAMHSA, tells us about the importance of the first-ever Substance Use Disorder Treatment Month; Dr. Beverly Kingston, Director of the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, discusses the brand-new Power of One app launched in Colorado aimed at potential risk factors for youth violence; and an episode of the Public Health Review Podcast explains how your team can improve brain health with data-driven solutions.

SAMHSA Web Page: Substance Use Disorder Treatment Month

The Power of One App Web Page

ASTHO Web Page: Enhancing Brain Health with Data-Driven Solutions

ASTHO Web Page: Stay Informed

Dr. Kristy Marynak, Senior Science Advisor at the CDC's Office on Smoking and Health, details a report on tobacco-related disease and death; Dr. Jean Ko, discusses a CDC report about overdose rates involving illicitly manufactured fentanyls; and an ASTHO Blog Article focuses on the integration of race and ethnicity data into public health.

CDC Web Page: Surgeon General's Report – Eliminating Tobacco-Related Disease and Death: Addressing Disparities

CDC Web Page: Detection of Illegally Manufactured Fentanyls and Carfentanil in Drug Overdose Deaths — United States, 2021–2024

ASTHO Blog Article: Integrating Race and Ethnicity Data in Public Health – Local, State, and Territorial Insights

ASTHO Web Page: Stay Informed