This legislative alert provides an update on the latest FY25 continuing resolution.
The Senate released its version of the FY25 LHHS appropriation bill on August 1, 2024, with significant changes in proposed public health funding than the House's proposed bill.
March 2024 Federal Funding Update wic program, environmental protection agency, appropriation bills, food and drug administration, government affairs, government shutdown, synthetic nicotine, fiscal year, federal government, public health, house and senate, food and drug administration fda, tobacco free nicotine, synthetic nicotine products, spending levels, white house, government agency, spending bill, regulate tobacco products, astho, association of state and territorial health officials ASTHO | Congress must approve legislation to provide FY24 funding for a portion of the federal government. This week, Congress must approve legislation to provide FY24 funding for a portion of the federal government. Currently, the federal government is operating on a two-tiered continuing resolution. Funding for discretionary programs in the Agriculture Appropriation bill—Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and FDA—expires on March 8. On March 3, Congress released the legislative text of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024, which proposes FY24 funding for six of the 12 appropriation bills. This package includes funding for EPA, the WIC program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and FDA, among other critical programs. Importantly, this legislation includes full funding for the WIC program, a priority for ASTHO and other public health organizations. Funding for HHS discretionary programs (NIH, CDC, HRSA, SAMHSA) expires on March 22. Legislative text proposing funding for these programs has not been released. Outlook Given bipartisan negotiations, ASTHO’s government affairs team believes this bill will be signed into law, avoiding a partial government shutdown on March 8. Additionally, text for the remaining six appropriation bills, including funding for HHS, is expected to be released later this week, with approval needed before March 22. According to media reports, this specific package of legislation will face a very difficult road to approval by Congress. Resources Bill Text Legislative summaries (Majority and Minority) Joint Explanatory Statement—Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriation Act, 2024 Joint Explanatory Statement—Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024 Joint Explanatory Statement—Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024 Key Public Health Funding Highlights Agriculture Appropriation Bill $7.03 billion for the WIC program, an increase of $1.3 billion over FY23. This ensures the program is fully funded, and it increases funding for fruits and vegetables in the WIC Food Package to meet the President’s request. $122.4 billion ($3 billion to remain available through Sept. 30, 2026, for a contingency reserve) for SNAP, a decrease of $31.5 billion from FY23. $6.7 billion, level funding, for FDA. In addition, FDA is required to address drug and device shortages, among other critical priorities. Urges FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products to immediately remove any product containing synthetic nicotine from the market, regardless of whether such product is subject to the Premarket Tobacco Product Application process. Rescinds unspent COVID resources at FDA. Environmental Protection Agency This bill includes $9.2 billion for EPA, a reduction of $232 million. $4.4 billion for State and Tribal Assistance Grants. Within this amount, the bill includes $2.8 billion for Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds and $1.4 billion in Community Project Funding. Compact of Free Association Pages 960-1048 of the bill text include a section amending Compacts of Free Association, which is important for territorial ASTHO members. The government affairs team will review this provision and provide additional analysis to our territorial members in the upcoming weeks. Other Public Health Programs Extends funding for the following programs through December 31, 2024: Community Health Centers National Health Service Corps Teaching Health Centers that Operate graduate medical education programs Special Diabetes Program Authority for states and tribes to request temporary reassignment for federally funded personnel. website yes
In anticipation of a potential government shutdown on Oct. 1, 2023, HHS released an FY24 contingency plan.
Summary of FY24 Senate LHHS Appropriations Bill maternal and child health, substance use prevention, essential health care programs, mental health, healthcare access, human services, labor health, community health centers, capitol hill, healthcare workforce, public health threats, funding levels, public health infastructure, pandemic preparedness, maternal mortality, prescription drug, access to health care, health insurance plans, united states, substance use disorder, prevention programs, alcohol and other drug, mental illnesses, child health, maternal and child, young adults, substance misuse, evidence based, based programs, cover essential health benefits, mental health conditions, affordable care act, drug misuse, astho, association of state and territorial health officials ASTHO | The Senate LHHS appropriations committee has released its version of the FY24 appropriations bill. Get the latest in this Legislative Alert. On July 27, the Senate Labor Health and Human Services and Education (LHHS) appropriations committee successfully marked up its version of the FY24 LHHS appropriation bill. It is important to note that the proposed funding levels in this bill are higher than the levels that were included as part of the House LHHS appropriations subcommittee markup that occurred earlier this month. Please remember that the proposed funding levels within the bill are also subject to change, as both chambers are expected to engage in negotiations for a final bill before the end of the current federal fiscal year on September 30, 2023. The committee did release the legislative text of the bill, and ASTHO's government affairs team will be conducting a detailed analysis in the coming days. The summary below was provided to the committee. The Senate’s bill is considered to be a high watermark for funding when compared to the House LHHS subcommittee’s bill. There are considerable differences between both bills that will require reconciliation and negotiation on both sides. Outlook Both the Senate and House are scheduled to go on recess in August and are expected to be back on Capitol Hill in early September, with limited legislative days before the expiration of FY23 funding. While we are hopeful that Congress will pass a continuing resolution to fund the federal government past September 30, if final appropriations bills are not completed, the threat of a government shutdown cannot be ruled out. It is also important to again point to the real possibility of a 1% across-the-board cut if Congress is unable to pass all 12 appropriation bills prior to the end of the calendar year. ASTHO’s government affairs team will continue to advocate on behalf of state and territorial public health departments, encouraging Congress to increase funding for state and territorial public health priorities. The full committee summary is available for review. Excerpts from Committee Summary Protects Essential Health Care Programs The bill protects essential funding to address public health threats, improve health care access and affordability, and strengthen the health care workforce. This includes: $1.86 billion for Community Health Centers, including $55 million for school-based health centers. $1.4 billion for Health Professions Workforce Development. $1.2 billion for the core Maternal and Child Health programs. $341 million for the Improving Maternal Health Initiative to combat the unacceptable levels of maternal mortality. $4.1 billion for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid’s administrative needs. The bill also includes $350 million for Public Health Infrastructure and Capacity, maintaining the 75% increase secured in fiscal year 2023 to bolster public health infrastructure and rebuild the workforce at the state and local level to be ready to respond to emerging public health threats. The bill includes $616 million for the Ending HIV Epidemic Initiative, a $3 million increase, which provides high-need jurisdictions with prevention and treatment services for people at high risk for HIV transmission. This includes $223 million within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Domestic HIV/AIDS Prevention and Research programs to develop and deploy innovative data management solutions, increase access to PrEP, and better detect and respond to HIV clusters. The bill also protects funding for reproductive health programs such as Title X and the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program. Pandemic Preparedness and Biodefense The bill includes $3.67 billion for the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), including a $20 million increase for the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) and $75 million to establish a new program in manufacturing and production to ensure that critical resources including medical countermeasures and ancillary supplies are manufactured in the United States. It protects funding for critical programs, including the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS), Project Bioshield, and the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS). Substance Use Prevention and Treatment The bill builds upon key investments made in fiscal year 2023 to address the rising toll of opioid overdoses fueled by fentanyl and improve access to substance use disorder treatment and prevention. The bill provides over $5 billion for opioid treatment and prevention, a more than $125 million increase over fiscal year 2023. This includes an additional: $40 million for the Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services Block Grant. $20 million for the State Opioid Response grants. $10 million for the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program. $20 million for NIH opioid research programs. Mental Health The bill provides $35 million more for the Mental Health Block Grant over fiscal year 2023 and includes $172 million for the Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program, a $19 million increase over fiscal year 2023, to expand community-based clinical training and for repayment of education loans for individuals working in either a Mental Health Professional Shortage Area or where the overdose death rate exceeds the national average. Additionally, the bill provides $400 million for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, a $15 million increase over fiscal year 2023, and an $18 million increase over fiscal year 2023 for the 988 Suicide Prevention Lifeline, building on the nearly $400 million increase in fiscal year 2023. The bill also includes over $100 million in investments within the Department of Education to address the shortage of school-based mental health professionals in our nation’s K-12 schools. website yes
Summary of FY24 House Appropriations Bill astho, association of state and territorial health officials, global health, ending the hiv epidemic, fy24 lhhs appropriation bill, substance abuse and mental health services administration, firearm injury and mortality prevention research, center for forecasting and analytics, agency for healthcare research and quality, public health data modernization, climate and health, public health infrastructure and capacity, government affairs, tobacco prevention and control, house labor health and human services and education, health resources and services administration, fy24 house appropriations bill, reducing new hiv infections, center for forecasting, funding opportunity, research and quality ahrq, health and human services, department of health, healthcare research and quality, agency for healthcare research, hiv aids, human services hhs, impacts of climate, gun violence, university of michigan, national institutes of health, ehe initiative, epidemic in the united, hiv prevention and treatment, real time, health effects, health impacts ASTHO | Learn about cuts to public health funding in the House Labor Health and Human Services and Education subcommittee's FY24 appropriations bill. On July 13, the House Labor Health and Human Services and Education (LHHS) appropriations subcommittee released its version of the FY24 LHHS appropriation bill and will mark up the legislation on July 14. The proposed funding levels included within the bill are subject to change as both chambers of Congress are expected to engage in negotiations before the expiration of the current fiscal year on September 30, 2023. It is important to note that the subcommittee has not released the report text, therefore ASTHO cannot complete a detailed analysis. The summary below was provided by the committee. Outlook: This bill is considered to be the low water mark for funding, compared to what the Senate is expected to propose. The Senate has yet to formally begin its work on the FY24 appropriations bills, but we expect that to occur in the coming weeks. As a reminder, any appropriations legislation must be approved on a bipartisan basis. The funding levels included in this bill are NOT final but rather are an indication of the priorities for the majority in the House. Given what is expected to be a contentious funding season, the likelihood of Congress approving a continuing resolution with a 1% across-the-board cut is extremely high and a government shutdown in October cannot be ruled out. The ASTHO government affairs team will continue to advocate on behalf of state and territorial public health departments, encouraging Congress to increase funding for state and territorial public health. The subcommittee draft text and summary are available for review. Excerpts from Subcommittee Funding Summary Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): The bill includes a total of $7.6 billion for CDC, a cut of $1.6 billion below the enacted level. The bill eliminates funding for Firearm Injury and Mortality Prevention Research, a cut of $12.5 million below the enacted level. The bill eliminates funding for Tobacco Prevention and Control, a cut of $247 million below the enacted level. The bill eliminates funding for the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative, a cut of $220 million below the enacted level. The bill includes $100 million for Public Health Infrastructure and Capacity, a cut of $250 million below the enacted level. The bill includes $75 million for Public Health Data Modernization, a cut of $100 million below the enacted level. The bill includes $371 million for Global Health, a cut of $322 million below the enacted level. The bill eliminates funding for the Climate and Health program, a cut of $10 million below the enacted level. The bill eliminates funding for the Center for Forecasting and Analytics, a cut of $50 million below the enacted level. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): The bill funds SAMHSA at $7.1 billion, a cut of $234 million below the enacted level. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA): The bill includes $7.3 billion for HRSA, a cut of more than $700 million below the enacted level. (The comparison does not include Community Project Funding included in the FY 2023 enacted bill.) The bill eliminates funding for Title X Family Planning, a cut of $286 million below the enacted level. The bill includes $781 million for the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant, a cut of $35 million below the enacted level. The bill eliminates funding for Healthy Start, a cut of $145 million below the enacted level. The bill eliminates funding for the Ending HIV Epidemic Initiative, a cut of $220 million below the enacted level. The bill eliminates funding for multiple programs to support diversity in the health care workforce, including: Health Careers Opportunity Program ($16 million) Centers of Excellence ($28 million) Nursing Workforce Diversity ($24 million) Agency for Health Care Research and Quality (AHRQ): The bill eliminates funding for AHRQ, a cut of $374 million below the enacted level. Office of the Secretary—General Departmental Management (GDM): The bill includes $344 million for GDM, a cut of $258 million below the enacted level. The bill eliminates funding for the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program, a cut of $108 million below the enacted level. The bill includes $26 million for the Office of Minority Health, a cut of $49 million below the enacted level. The bill includes $28 million for the Minority HIV/AIDS Initiative, a cut of $24 million below the enacted level. The bill includes $20 million for the Office on Women’s Health, a cut of $49 million below the enacted level. article yes
Sept. 27, 2022, ASTHO Legislative Alert: analysis of Continuing Appropriations and Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023 (H.R. 6833).
In this episode of Public Health Review, we speak with Michael Fraser about his profound legacy as CEO, celebrate ASTHO’s extraordinary achievements under his tenure, and wish him well in his new position at the College of American Pathologists.
Journal of Public Health Management and Practice Releases Studies Analyzing Largest Ever Public Health Workforce Survey
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
ASTHO Celebrates 75 Years of Public Health Leadership ARLINGTON, VA—Today the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) celebrates its 75th anniversary and recognizes the significant achievements of its members who have been at the forefront of promoting and protecting the public’s health for decades. Many defining moments make up ASTHO’s rich history, including its work supporting responses to the H1N1 pandemic, the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, the Ebola outbreak, and the proliferation of Zika virus. These events solidified ASTHO’s ability to convene and leverage an extensive network of state and territorial health officials and other partners when urgent public health challenges call for decisive leadership. “While ASTHO has been involved in virtually every significant public health crisis since the mid-20th century, the association remains focused on the long-term needs of the public health system,” says Michael Fraser, executive director of ASTHO. “Members must operate effectively in today’s environment, which demands greater attention to the social determinants of health, emphasizes population health, and requires an integrated, multi-sectoral approach to health—all while facing steep funding cuts to core public health services and infrastructure.” ASTHO was incorporated on March 23, 1942, with the mission of helping health officials navigate a rapidly changing public health landscape and to this day remains a strong voice in governmental public health. ASTHO’s mission is both focused and flexible: transforming public health within states and territories to help members dramatically improve health and wellness. State and territorial health officials have been exceptional leaders and champions for improving Americans’ health and well-being by preventing chronic diseases, responding to emerging health threats, safeguarding the nation’s food and water supply, and fostering innovation in our healthcare delivery system. Since 2008, each incoming ASTHO president has issued a President’s Challenge to call attention to our nation’s most pressing and unmet public health problems. Through these initiatives, state and territorial health officials have taken multifaceted approaches leading to significant policy changes in their jurisdictions resulting in lower rates of preterm birth and infant mortality, fewer prescription drug overdose deaths, and greater cross-sector leadership to promote optimal health for all. This year, ASTHO will continue to build on its successes with a focus on legislative activities, convening and supporting health officials as transformational leaders, building public health capacity, and elevating the visibility of state and territorial health agencies. ASTHO also plans to launch a virtual technical assistance series, assembling national experts for its members to address complex public health priorities, such as substance misuse and addiction. On Sept. 20-21, ASTHO will host its annual meeting and 75th anniversary celebration in Washington, D.C., recognizing the achievements of state and territorial public health agencies. ASTHO Press Release Boilerplate website yes
ASTHO Statement on President Trump’s Fiscal Year 2018 Budget ARLINGTON, VA—Michael Fraser, executive director of ASTHO, issued the following statement on President Trump’s Fiscal Year 2018 budget, “A New Foundation for American Greatness”: “ASTHO acknowledges that the president’s FY18 budget prioritizes some state and territorial public health needs, however, we are extremely concerned about the significant proposed cuts to HHS and its operating divisions including CDC, HRSA, SAMHSA, FDA, and other federal agencies. We should be advancing our investments in prevention and public health, but this budget signals a retreat from key health programs including public health security, emergency preparedness, and chronic disease prevention. State and territorial health agencies are already facing many challenges in the current fiscal environment and will not be able to make up the federal funding reductions. Federal resources account for an average of nearly half of all state and territorial health department funding. The FY18 budget reduces or outright eliminates many vital public health programs. Many states and territories have already prepared to cut programs, layoff staff, and undergo major reorganizations within their health agencies. ASTHO opposes the proposal to eliminate the Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant, which is replaced with the “America’s Health Block Grant,” a new program to address chronic disease prevention. The Prevent Block Grant is a critical source of funding for states and territories. The potential loss of this funding, even with the proposed America’s Health Block Grant, will slow our progress in addressing state health priorities. We appreciate that the Administration sought ways to reduce administrative burden on states and increase flexibility in this budget. We all agree that we must identify efficiencies in program implementation and administration. However, these changes should be made with careful consideration to ensure sustained and robust support for the work of preparedness, response, and prevention. It is through preparedness, health promotion, and disease prevention activities, the core work of state and territorial health agencies, that we will truly realize savings in our healthcare system. It is far more effective to prevent illness than to treat it. States and territories need continued federal support for these population health efforts if we are to see long-term improvements in health and reduced spending on healthcare. We look forward to working with the Administration and Congress to secure sustained funding for all state and territorial public health agencies and our federal partners to ensure a truly great foundation for our nation’s health and well-being.” ASTHO Press Release Boilerplate website yes
On March 23, 2023, ASTHO President Anne Zink testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies.
ASTHO and Safe States Alliance Commit to Supporting State Injury and Violence Prevention Programs ARLINGTON, VA—The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials supports the just-released Safe States Alliance’s 2015 State of the States report, which highlights the important role that state health department injury and violence prevention (IVP) programs play in addressing injuries and violence across the nation, including falls, prescription drug overdoses, sexual violence, child passenger safety, and suicide. ASTHO and the Safe States Alliance are committed to advancing the significant efforts of state injury and violence prevention programs. According to the report, nearly one person dies every three minutes due to injuries and violence, and the total lifetime costs of injuries and violence sustained in a single year amount to $671 billion in medical and work loss expenses. The costs are disproportionate to the investments, with only $90 million dollars being invested into prevention across states surveyed for this report. “State IVP programs are working to lift the immense health and societal burden of injuries and violence to create a society where people can live to their full potential,” says Dr. Michael Fraser, ASTHO Executive Director. The State of the States report is the only national assessment of capacity among state public health IVP programs. “The State of the States report is critical for sharing the vital work of our state health departments and informing our federal, state, and local prevention partners of the need for continued and expanded support of comprehensive injury and violence prevention programs across the country,” says Amber Williams, executive director of the Safe States Alliance. ASTHO affirms that injury and violence prevention activities are an integral component of public health practice to improve health outcomes. Efforts should use a multidisciplinary approach, address prevention of injury and violence across the lifespan, and focus on a broad range of injury prevention issues. For more information, view ASTHO’s Preventing Injuries and Violence Position Statement. ASTHO Press Release Boilerplate Safe States Alliance Boilerplate website yes
Vital Public Health Programs will be Eliminated with Passage of AHCA ARLINGTON, VA—Michael Fraser, executive director of ASTHO, issued the following statement on the American Health Care Act: “With today's vote in Congress, ASTHO is deeply concerned about the uncertainty of prevention and public health activities supported by the Affordable Care Act and provisions which may be repealed—and not replaced—in the AHCA. Specifically, the AHCA eliminates the Prevention and Public Health Fund, which is used by every state and territory to support vital public health programs that promote health, prevent disease, and allow for rapid response to emerging public health threats. The fund will be fully eliminated if the AHCA passes the Senate vote, and any remaining funds will be rescinded at the end of fiscal year 2018. This “penny-wise pound foolish” move will eliminate funding for core prevention and public health programs and lead to increased costs to the healthcare delivery system in the future. With CDC set to lose nearly $1 billion in resources to prevent disease and promote health currently in the Prevention and Public Health Fund, we must come up with alternative solutions to provide states and territories with the support they need to keep their citizens healthy and safe. Preventing disease and promoting health is the only way we are going to reverse our nation’s lagging health outcomes. Eliminating the Prevention and Public Health Fund is a critical mistake. Fiscally-strapped states and territories will not be able to make up the difference. Sustained prevention and public health investments are needed to protect all Americans from new and emerging infectious diseases, disasters, and chronic health threats.” ASTHO Press Release Boilerplate website yes
ASTHO and de Beaumont Foundation Commit to Improve the Public Health Workforce ARLINGTON, VA—The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and the de Beaumont Foundation announce a new project building upon their successful Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS). The new project will enhance public health workforce policies and practice and is called “PH WINS: Research to Action.” Earlier this year, ASTHO and de Beaumont released PH WINS, the first nationally representative survey of the governmental public health work force. PH WINS surveyed more than 10,000 public health workers, exploring their attitudes, morale, and climate, and developing a baseline of key workforce development metrics. Analyses of the PH WINS data set were published in a special supplemental version of the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice in November 2015. “PH WINS: Research to Action” builds on these findings to meet the training and development needs of the public health workforce. Together, the de Beaumont Foundation and ASTHO will: Create and maintain a community of practice focused on the development of the public health workforce. Craft and implement a standardized training needs assessment that goes beyond PH WINS. Develop and test a web-based tool for high-quality online training for the public health workforce. To achieve these objectives, ASTHO will utilize focus groups and a newly developed community of practice to develop innovative ideas to encourage the uptake of recommended policies and practices. The outcomes of “PH WINS: Research to Action” will be made available to all state and local health departments. ASTHO Press Release Boilerplate de Beaumont Boilerplate website yes
ASTHO Executive Director Michael Fraser Responds to the Affordable Care Act Replacement Bill ARLINGTON, VA—“While millions of Americans may experience changes in their insurance coverage as part of the Affordable Care Act “repeal and replace” debate, all will lose with the elimination of the Prevention and Public Health Fund. Core state and territorial public health programs have been moved into the Prevention and Public Health Fund and its elimination without a clear replacement is concerning. States and territories rely on the fund to support long-standing public health programs that promote health, prevent disease, and allow rapid response to emerging public health threats. Eliminating the fund would result in cuts to programs that provide critical childhood immunizations, help smokers quit their deadly tobacco habit, fight obesity and diabetes, battle the opioid epidemic, and offer support for other disease-specific efforts. Preventing disease and promoting health is the most commonsense approach to controlling healthcare costs and improving health outcomes. We urge Congress to either find a replacement mechanism to fund these core health programs otherwise we will immediately put at risk the health and well-being of millions of people living in every urban city and rural community in America.” ASTHO Press Release Boilerplate website yes
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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.