As we head into Memorial Day weekend and honor the members of our armed forces who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country and its freedoms, it is also important for us to give thanks to public health workers for being a shining example of what it means to lead in the face of a crisis.
ASTHO CEO Michael Fraser, PhD, and Tracey Wareing Evans, President and CEO of APHSA, sit down to discuss building a foundational family well-being roadmap amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
If there is any word to describe 2020 it is “unprecedented,” with the work of health agencies front and center since COVID-19 emerged in the U.S. But as we approach Public Health Thank You Day and the Thanksgiving season, ASTHO wants to send a special appreciation to our entire state and territorial public health workforce. We have been so impressed by your tireless work to address COVID-19 in your jurisdictions and you have wowed us all with your dedication and commitment to the work of health protection and improvement. Thank you all for all you do to keep your communities healthy!
An issue that public health wrestles with is how to combat racism as we would any other public health emergency. ASTHO’s board of directors has declared structural racism a public health emergency. And health equity is the number one priority in ASTHO’s strategic plan, which means our staff will prioritize equity work as we support all aspects of our members’ technical assistance and capacity building needs.
Every year on Nov. 22, ASTHO—and countless other agencies and organizations worldwide—take a moment to acknowledge the public health workforce on Public Health Thank You Day. Like so many other days of recognition, it has become a blip on our yearly calendar. And, simply put, that’s just not enough. This year, ASTHO leadership took pen to paper to share some of our feelings, fears, and—yes, our thanks—for everything the public health workforce has always done to protect us.
On May 2, 2023, ASTHO released a statement of support for the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology’s new report and recommendations for supporting the U.S. public health workforce.
On Nov. 2, 2022, ASTHO announced the launch of PublicHealthCareers.com, a new website for job seekers in the field.
On Aug. 3, 2022, ASTHO and the de Beaumont Foundation announced the 2021 PH WINS findings. They provide a unique snapshot of the state and local government public health workforce.
The executive leaders of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials and the National Council for Mental Wellbeing take a moment to collectively acknowledge the incredible efforts that public health workers have taken to address the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.