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ASTHO Executive Director Announces New Role at the March of Dimes ARLINGTON, VA—Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) Executive Director Paul E. Jarris, MD, MBA, has announced that he is stepping down at the end of this year. Jarris will assume a new Senior Vice President and Deputy Medical Officer role at the March of Dimes, effective Jan. 25, 2016. Dr. Jarris has served as ASTHO’s Executive Director for the past nine years, where he transformed ASTHO to become a premier institution vital to promoting and safeguarding health and wellness across the United States and territories. Under his guidance, ASTHO has become a leader in public health systems and services research and the authoritative source of information on state and territorial public health. At the March of Dimes, Jarris will lead a new Maternal and Child Health Program Impact department. He will have overall responsibility for the March of Dimes’ Prematurity Campaign, which addresses health equity and seeks to reduce the rate of preterm birth—a leading cause of death among babies in the United States. Jarris is passionate about children’s health. A notable achievement as Executive Director of ASTHO was his aligning the efforts of ASTHO and the March of Dimes to challenge states to lower their preterm birth rates. Together with David Lakey, MD, former ASTHO President and now at the University of Texas, they championed the 2012 ASTHO President’s Challenge on Healthy Babies. After years of climbing prematurity rates, the trend has reversed. This contribution has helped save thousands of lives and improved the health of many more infants. “I am excited to be joining the March of Dimes, an organization that has had as great an impact on public health as any organization in this country and around the world,” says Jarris. “Some of my most gratifying work at ASTHO were the partnerships we were able to build between state health agencies and the March of Dimes. I look forward to continuing this work. We have already made tremendous gains. Now is the time to seize that momentum and ensure that all moms and babies have the best chance possible for a healthy start to life.” Under Jarris’ leadership, ASTHO became integral to the national public health preparedness and response system. During the influenza H1N1 pandemic and Ebola emergency, ASTHO was key in representing state health interests to federal agencies, providing guidance and consistent risk information for the states, facilitating partnerships with the provider community, and helping negotiate ready availability of pandemic vaccine at chain pharmacies nationwide. Minnesota Commissioner of Health and ASTHO President Edward Ehlinger, MD, MSPH, remarked, “Paul Jarris helped elevate ASTHO to a true leadership position in America’s public health community. He now will be bringing his skills to the March of Dimes. I thank him for his numerous contributions to state and territorial public health and I look forward to working with him to improve the health of America’s mothers and babies.” During Jarris’ tenure, ASTHO expanded its staff from 45 to 110 and budget from 9 million to 30 million. ASTHO was recognized as a top-50 employer in the Washington, DC area by Washingtonian Magazine in 2013. Jarris is a recipient of numerous awards, including the American Academy of Family Physicians 2014 Public Health Award and has authored or co-authored over 50 publications. Prior to his appointment at ASTHO, he served as Commissioner of Health at the Vermont Department of Health from 2003 to 2006. ASTHO Press Release Boilerplate website yes

Investing in Indiana’s Public Health Infrastructure Through Community-Driven Policy Change public health infrastructure, community driven policy, indiana state health commissioner, public health system, indiana department of health, outpatient facilities, technical assistance, data and information integration, emergency preparedness, child and adolescent health, legislative action, state and local elected officials, health problems, health care, health system, health departments, federal agencies, essential public health services, centers for disease control, state and local levels, health outcomes, health organization, covid-19 pandemic, health infrastructure, promoting health, public health organizations, states public health, federal funding, astho, association of state and territorial health officials Maggie Davis, Keith Coleman Indiana enacts historic public health funding through community engagement and legislative support. In April 2023, Indiana passed bill SB 4, which was a historic investment in the state's public health funding and restructuring its public health system. This case study shares how the Governor's Public Health Commission and the Indiana Department of Health approached community listening sessions, formulated recommendations, and successfully built legislative support to reform the public health system in the state. Get the Report (PDF) website yes

ASTHO Board Selects Michael Fraser to Serve as New Executive Director ARLINGTON, VA—The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) announced today that Michael Fraser, PhD, CAE, will serve as the organization’s executive director beginning in mid- or late-August 2016. Fraser has extensive experience leading public health and healthcare associations. Most recently he served as the executive vice president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Medical Society in Harrisburg, PA. During his tenure he worked with physician leaders to transform the Pennsylvania Medical Society into a dynamic, relevant and effective membership organization representing all of the state’s physicians. “I am very excited by this opportunity to continue ASTHO’s legacy of leadership for state public health well into the future,” said Fraser. “Collectively, state and territorial health officials are a driving force in safeguarding and promoting the health of our nation. ASTHO members make decisions every day that impact the health and well-being of millions of people across the country. I look forward to supporting state and territorial health officials’ critical role in the states and territories and forging close partnerships with local, state, national, and federal stakeholders that value ASTHO members’ efforts to improve the health of our nation.” In addition to nationally recognized work at the Pennsylvania Medical Society to address the state’s opioid misuse and drug abuse crisis, Fraser has been a distinguished leader in public health for almost twenty years. He served as CEO of the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP) from 2007 to 2013, where his leadership was recognized nationally by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau’s Director’s Award in 2014. In addition the American Public Health Association’s MCH Section awarded AMCHP the Outstanding Leadership and Advocacy Award. Prior to joining AMCHP, Fraser was the deputy executive director of the National Association of County and City Health Officials from 2002 to 2007, and served in several capacities at the US Department of Health and Human Services, including positions at the Health Resources and Services Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fraser received his doctorate in sociology from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in May 1997 and his M.A. in sociology in 1994. He is currently pursuing a M.S. in Management, Strategy and Leadership from the Eli Broad School of Business at Michigan State University. Fraser received his B.A. in sociology from Oberlin College in 1991. Fraser was selected after an extensive search. The ASTHO Board of Directors hired Association Strategies to manage the search and appointed a Search Committee chaired by Terry Cline, PhD, Oklahoma Commissioner of Health and Secretary of Health and Human Services. The Search Committee put forward Fraser and the ASTHO Board, chaired by Edward Ehlinger, MD, MSPH, Minnesota Commissioner of Health, voted to extend an offer at ASTHO’s June board meeting. “Mike is the ideal person to lead ASTHO forward,” said Ehlinger. “He is a dynamic leader in the health field, and his experience leading both public health associations and medical societies will serve us well as these two health sectors become increasingly intertwined. His knowledge, wisdom, and personality will guide state and territorial health agencies through the challenges of today’s health landscape and position them for a vital leadership role in the future.” ASTHO Interim Executive Director Sharon Moffatt, BSN, MS will continue to play a leadership role on ASTHO staff and help lead and coordinate the transition to the new executive director. ASTHO Press Release Boilerplate website yes

State and Territorial Health Leaders Praise Surgeon General’s Report on E-Cigarettes ARLINGTON, VA—The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) praises U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy for issuing a first ever report on e-cigarette use among youth and young adults, and calls on local, state, and national partners to redouble efforts to prevent tobacco use and support tobacco cessation efforts nationwide. The new report indicates a dramatic rise in e-cigarette use among youth and young adults. E-cigarettes are now the most commonly used tobacco product among youth, surpassing conventional cigarettes in 2014. Emerging data suggests that youth who use e-cigarettes are more likely to use combustible tobacco products. ASTHO members have a strong history of supporting programs that improve tobacco prevention and control efforts in their states, and this new report reiterates that tobacco use, in any form and at any age, is harmful to our health. “The report’s main message, that there is no acceptable level of nicotine when it comes to our children, is a strong one and one that I support as a physician, father, and champion for health in my state. That's why in Vermont we added e-cigarettes to the tobacco products restricted under our Clean Indoor Air Act,” says Harry Chen, MD, chair of ASTHO’s Prevention Policy Committee and commissioner of the Vermont Department of Health. “While there is still a lot we do not know about e-cigarettes, we do know that vaping products contain chemicals that could cause harm, especially in young people. Our research on the health effects of smoking clearly shows that nicotine, regardless of how it is delivered, is addictive and can harm the developing brain.” ASTHO President and Chief Medical Officer for the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, Jay Butler, MD, states that “our nation’s state and territorial health leaders are committed to aggressive efforts to reduce all tobacco use and address the issues posed by electronic cigarettes. This is an area where health, policy, and science can converge to prevent harm and potentially prevent addiction and substance misuse among our youth.” While all state and territorial public health agencies have experience addressing tobacco control and prevention, e-cigarettes pose new challenges to health leaders. “We are concerned about tobacco-attributable health disparities, tobacco-related morbidity and mortality, and the limited regulation and lack of definitive research on e-cigarettes and their components,” says ASTHO’s Executive Director Michael Fraser, PhD. “To this end, we support further investment in prevention efforts and research to inform local, state, and national policymakers. I think the surgeon general’s report is going to focus more attention on the unique issues raised by e-cigarettes and the need for additional policy work and investment at the state and national level to promote healthy behaviors among our nation’s young people.” ASTHO is currently updating its position statement on tobacco prevention and control to include the public health consequences of e-cigarettes and related vaping devices. ASTHO Press Release Boilerplate website yes

Health Officials Intensify Zika Prevention Efforts ARLINGTON, VA—State and territorial health officials are redoubling prevention efforts to address the serious public health threats associated with Zika virus and to protect the health of mothers and babies. Yesterday, CDC published an analysis of nearly 1,300 pregnant women with evidence of Zika infection, per data reported by 44 states to the U.S. Zika Pregnancy Registry in 2016. About 1 in 10 pregnant women with confirmed Zika had a fetus or baby with birth defects. In light of these findings, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) calls for continued resources to support an aggressive, long-term governmental public health response to Zika, including laboratory, epidemiological, and surveillance capacity, vector control, and public awareness and education campaigns. With most of the women in the study acquiring Zika infection during travel to an area where Zika was present, all jurisdictions within the United States must remain on alert and prepared due to travel-related cases and sexual transmission. Also, with warmer weather and mosquito season approaching, CDC’s new Vital Signs report highlights the need for ongoing vigilance and sustained measures to prevent and manage cases of Zika, diagnose patients, increase lab capacity and vector control, and coordinate Zika-related birth defects surveillance activities, especially in parts of the United States where local transmission through the bite from the specific mosquito capable of carrying the Zika virus is possible. “Public health has a long history of combatting and eradicating mosquito-borne diseases, but ensuring robust epidemiological and laboratory infrastructure across the governmental public health system is critical to stay ahead of the spread of Zika virus,” says Brenda Fitzgerald, ASTHO president-elect and commissioner and state health officer of the Georgia Department of Public Health. “In Georgia, for example, we have limited geographic mosquito surveillance and vector control capabilities. That causes particular concern about the 63 counties at higher risk of Zika transmission due to their dense populations, high rates of poverty, and large numbers of females of reproductive age.” State, territorial, and local health departments play an active role in determining the risk of ongoing local transmission through enhanced surveillance and vector control activities. Health departments, together with healthcare professionals, laboratory experts, and disease control specialists, are working nonstop to protect Americans from Zika and other emerging health threats. Strong collaboration among state and local partners is critical to protecting pregnant women against Zika and connecting affected families with medical, social, and community resources. ASTHO urges sustained investments in public health funding to give state, local, tribal, and territorial health departments the resources needed to pursue a broad range of strategies to prevent Zika virus. ASTHO Press Release Boilerplate website yes

State and Territorial Health Leaders Commend Nomination of Dr. Jerome Adams for U.S. Surgeon General ARLINGTON, VA—The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) commends the Administration for nominating Indiana State Health Commissioner Dr. Jerome Adams to the position of U.S. Surgeon General. Adams has served as commissioner of the Indiana State Department of Health since 2014, where he oversees the public health protection and laboratory services, health and human services, healthcare quality and regulatory, and tobacco prevention and cessation commissions. “The Administration has nominated a true public health leader to serve as U.S. Surgeon General,” says Dr. Michael Fraser, executive director of ASTHO. “Dr. Adams understands the healthcare landscape, has first-hand experience dealing with serious public health issues, and will be a strong advocate for state public health, bringing a unique and valuable set of skills to the nation’s healthcare system. His knowledge of public health challenges and opportunities as Indiana State Health Commissioner will serve our nation well in the months and years ahead.” As a member of ASTHO, Adams has worked nationwide to address public health issues, including the challenges presented by the current opioid crisis. His clinical acumen combined with strong clinical and community-based experience make him a uniquely qualified candidate for the nation’s top physician. “Our nation needs a strong, experienced, and articulate public health champion, and Jerome is the right person at the right time to serve as our Surgeon General,” says Dr. Jay Butler, ASTHO president and chief medical officer for the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services. “This nomination recognizes his state and national leadership experience, his broad perspective, and his clinical expertise—he brings all this to the very important job of Surgeon General.” Adams earned a B.S. in biochemistry and a B.A. in biopsychology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. He has been a researcher at medical schools in both the Netherlands and Zimbabwe and has worked under Nobel Prize winner Dr. Tom Cech. He earned his Medical Doctorate at the Indiana University School of Medicine, and his Masters of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley.  He has been an active member of ASTHO, including representing ASTHO at the American Medical Society House of Delegates and participating in national initiatives to address significant public health challenges. ASTHO Press Release Boilerplate website yes

Juthani plans to focus presidency on the importance of public health and public health communications

On March 23, 2023, ASTHO President Anne Zink testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies regarding sustainable and flexible public health funding.

The VDH Internship Academy, funded by PHIG, is a key pipeline for public health careers with paid, growth-focused internships.

Public Health Thank You Day Public Health Thank You Day 2024 Scott Harris, Joseph Kanter In honor of Public Health Thank You Day, ASTHO President Scott Harris and ASTHO CEO Joseph Kanter share a message of gratitude to all hardworking public health professionals who help keep the nation healthy and well. <!-- Public Health Thank You Day 2024 - Harris - Audio Embed Public Health Thank You Day 2024 - Harris - Transcript Medium Padding 2 Public Health Thank You Day 2024 - Kanter - Audio Embed Public Health Thank You Day 2024 - Kanter - Transcript --> article yes

This interview is part of ASTHO’s Leadership Trailblazers series, which shares outstanding public health leaders’ inspirations, motivations, and accomplishments. This post features Karyl Thomas Rattay, MD, MS, director of the Delaware Division of Public Health.

This interview is part of ASTHO’s Leadership Trailblazers series, which shares outstanding public health leaders’ inspirations, motivations, and accomplishments. This post features Anne Zink, MD, FACEP, chief medical officer of the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services.

Amid so much uncertainty, it might feel naïve to make any claims about what the future holds. But it is in these moments that it becomes more important than ever to have beacons to guide us and give us hope. As we look ahead to 2022, here are four priorities that must steer the public health course in the year to come.

The Louisiana Department of Health HAI/AR program highlights the current landscape of HAI/AR programs, the benefits of having leadership dedicated to the HAI/AR program mission and priorities, and the need for alignment of HAI/AR program communications and structure with state and territorial health agencies.

An interview with ASTHO President Anne Zink (SHO-AK) about strengthening state and federal connections for public health.

After years of advocacy, ASTHO and our partners are celebrating the recently signed Consolidated Appropriations Act.

ASTHO interviews Anne Zink, MD, as she steps into her role as the association's 80th president.

Accurate and timely communication from health officials during a public health emergency is critical to ensure people can reduce their risk of illness or death. Karen Smith (alumni-CA) talks about her experiences communicating policy changes, as well as key strategies for maintaining public trust.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of having in-house skills to respond to worldwide public health emergencies. Because of this, the American College of Preventive Medicine recommends that health departments consider bringing a board-certified preventive medicine physician on staff or to have one available to assist with preparedness and population health interventions.

ASTHO’s Leadership Trailblazers series shares outstanding public health leaders’ inspirations, motivations, and accomplishments. This post features Joneigh S. Khaldun (alumni–MI), Vice President and Chief Health Equity Officer at CVS.