A curated collection of resources, tools, and success stories on building capacity for health equity for state, territorial, and freely associated state public health agency leadership, program managers, and team members.
APPLETREE COVID-19 Supplemental Awards In early 2021, ASTHO, with support from CDC’s National Center for Environmental Health and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), announced awards to five state health agencies to support their responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. State health agencies in Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Vermont, and Virginia were selected for this opportunity because of their recent application to ATSDR’s Partnership to Promote Local Efforts to Reduce Environmental Exposure (APPLETREE) cooperative agreement program. Vermont requested that ASTHO work directly with their partner organization, Informed Green Solutions (IGS), for this project. The factsheets on this page outline activities supported under these awards. Arkansas Department of Health (PDF) Informed Green Solutions (PDF) (Partner to Vermont Department of Health) Kentucky Department for Public Health (PDF) Indiana Department of Health (PDF) Virginia Department of Health (PDF) website no
Improving Disability Inclusion This page features resources for promoting policies and improving access to services for people with disabilities ASTHO provides a variety of resources to help the public health workforce enhance disability inclusion. These tools focus on promoting inclusive policies and improving access to services for people with disabilities. By implementing strategies that consider the diverse needs of people with disabilities, organizations can ensure equitable access to health and health care as well as enhance community well-being. article
Data and Disability Inclusion Disability inclusion in data is important to understand the health impacts of public health issues on people with disabilities. By collecting and analyzing disability-related metrics, health agencies can identify disparities, improve accessibility, and develop equitable programs. In these resources, ASTHO shares perspectives on inclusive data collection practices, as well as resources to help public health agencies better address the health needs of individuals with disabilities through data. article
A highly curated list of resources to support public health change agents advancing population health and equity, focused on rural health.
Contact information for every member of the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health
Why I Got the Vaccine: A PSA Series on Vaccination for People Living with Disabilities and Their Caregivers Building vaccine confidence in people living with disabilities and their caregivers is a critical step in protecting the disability community from COVID-19. Elevating the voices of the disability community by sharing their vaccination stories can encourage others to get vaccinated. The following public service announcement (PSA) style videos share perspectives from people living with disabilities and their caregivers on why they chose to get the COVID-19 vaccine. The PSA videos are available in a web friendly rectangular format and a social media friendly square format. Use these videos as a resource to build vaccine confidence in people living with disabilities and their caregivers. Need assistance with messaging? See below for suggested messages to go along with the videos. Click the dropdown menu to select and view each individual video. To share the video, click on the ellipses, then select share. General Messages Why are caregivers of people living with disabilities choosing to get the COVID-19 vaccine? To protect the ones they love. Listen to caregivers share their stories in this video. The disability community is speaking up about why COVID-19 vaccination is important to them. Watch this video to hear their stories. The COVID-19 vaccine helps protect people living with disabilities who may be at risk of severe COVID-19. Listen to why caregivers of people living with disabilities chose to protect themselves and those they care about in this video. People living with disabilities may be at higher risk of severe COVID-19. Vaccination can protect them. Listen to their vaccine stories in this video. People living with disabilities may have questions about how the COVID-19 vaccine may interact with health conditions. Talking to a health care provider can help them navigate these questions. Watch this video to hear why people living with disabilities chose to get vaccinated. Video Specific Messages In this video, two people with autism share why getting the COVID-19 vaccine was important to them. Watch this video to hear their perspectives and learn where to go to find out more about the COVID-19 vaccine. Note: This message is suggested for video #4. Learn why people who are deaf or hard of hearing chose to get the COVID-19 vaccine in this video. Note: This message is suggested for video #7. These caregivers chose to get the COVID-19 vaccine to protect the people with Down Syndrome they care for. Watch this video to learn why the vaccine was important for them. Note: This message is suggested for video #3. website yes
Since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak was declared a public health emergency by United States authorities in January 2020, ASTHO has been working with our members, federal agencies, and association partners to ensure state and territorial agencies have the resources and information they need to effectively respond to cases in their jurisdictions.
State health agencies are critical in building important partnerships to address antimicrobial resistance and in implementing stewardship activities across the continuum of care.
The Public Health Transformation Series explores how health department programs, policies, and partnerships have adapted and evolved to serve their constituencies.
This toolkit, developed by the National Association of Community Health Workers (NACHW) in partnership with ASTHO, serves as a resource for health department staff who are pursuing contracts with CBOs to implement CHW programs and provide tips for hiring, training, and building CHW career pathways through your contract.
State stories demonstrate how Utah, Virginia, and Texas worked to strengthen public health initiatives in rural communities, empower community health workers, and build stronger bridges between communities and health care.
This brief explores Medicaid coverage for CHW-led services and highlights opportunities for state and territorial health agencies (S/THAs) to collaborate with Medicaid to support CHWs.
ASTHO webinar focused on developing a definition and framework for CHW sustainable funding.
Report providing the critical role of community health workers in states' COVID-19 responses.
Podcast provided by We in the World
ASTHO supports state and territorial health agencies as they combat vaccine-preventable disease through comprehensive immunization programs.
This online repository is a collection of resources, products, and event recordings that health officials can use to enhance communication efforts during a public health emergency.
Long COVID Resources for Community Recovery association of state and territorial health officials, astho, tribal health, American Indian, Alaska native, ai/an, ai/an communities, high quality public health services, state health departments, tribal health liaisons, tribal communities, state tribal liaison, public health agencies, public health needs, tribal environmental health, American Indian health Long COVID, which affects more than 20 million people in the United States, continues to pose challenges for individuals and communities. Its impact extends far beyond clinical care, affecting workforce participation, disability systems, and the broader social and economic context of communities. For public health agencies, addressing Long COVID involves supporting affected individuals through surveillance and access to care. It also takes building stronger infrastructure and systems to respond to the consequences associated with Long COVID and other post-viral conditions. This collection of Long COVID resources supports these efforts and encourages coordinated action among health care, public health, and community partners, which is crucial to reduce impact and aid recovery for individuals and communities. Related topic: COVID-19 article
ASTHO works to raise awareness about STI issues and needs, reduce stigma, establish and strengthen cross-sector partnerships, and promote infrastructure at the state level.