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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

Journal of Public Health Management and Practice Releases Studies Analyzing Largest Ever Public Health Workforce Survey

ASTHO Awards Public Health Leaders for Outstanding Service ARLINGTON, VA—The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) honored public health leaders with several awards this week at its 2017 Annual Meeting in recognition of their outstanding service and dedication to improving state and territorial public health.  “On behalf of ASTHO, I am truly honored to present this year’s awards to a group of individuals who bring transformative leadership to the field of public health and embody a genuine desire to improve our nation’s health. Their accomplishments have made a difference in the lives of others, and we are inspired by their commitment to lead with compassion, integrity, and perseverance,” says ASTHO Executive Director Michael Fraser. The 2017 ASTHO awardees include:  Georges Benjamin, MD, executive director of the American Public Health Association Ed Thompson 2017 Lifetime Achievement Medal With over 35 years of experience in public health as a physician, state health official, and executive director of the American Public Health Association, Benjamin has inspired countless public health leaders and has been named among the 100 most influential people in healthcare. Michael Botticelli, executive director of the Grayken Center for Addiction Medicine at Boston Medical Center ASTHO 2017 Presidential Meritorious Service Award Botticelli, former director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, was the first person to hold this position while also in long-term recovery from a substance use disorder. Vivek Murthy, MD, 19th Surgeon General of the United States ASTHO 2017 Presidential Meritorious Service Award As surgeon general, Murthy created initiatives to tackle our country’s most urgent public health issues, including the first-ever Surgeon General’s report issuing a call to action on addiction as a chronic illness. Tom Frieden, MD, former director of CDC National Excellence Award On the national level, Frieden, who served as director of CDC from 2009-2017, led work to end the Ebola epidemic and control the largest outbreak of drug-resistant tuberculosis in the United States, among other initiatives. J. Patrick O’Neal, MD, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Health State Excellence Award On the state level, O’Neal brings a great deal of medical and military experience to the public health community, greatly enriching ASTHO’s mission and the health of all Georgians. Paul Jarris, MD, chief medical officer for the March of Dimes ASTHO Alumni 2017 Award As a nationally recognized expert in healthcare policy, clinical quality initiatives, public health, and disease prevention and wellness, Jarris used his expertise to serve as commissioner of health at the Vermont Department of Health from 2003-2006 and ASTHO executive director from 2006-2016. Rep. Tom Cole, chair, House Labor, HHS and Education Appropriations Subcommittee 2017 ASTHO Legislative Champion Award Cole was elected to Congress in 2002 and is currently serving in his eighth term in the U.S. House of Representatives. Cole has been supportive of important public health initiatives, such as the CDC’s Public Health Emergency Preparedness program. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, ranking member, House Labor, HHS, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee 2017 ASTHO Legislative Champion Award DeLauro is the Congresswoman from Connecticut’s Third Congressional District. DeLauro spearheaded bipartisan legislation to raise awareness of gynecologic cancers and the WISEWOMAN program, and has supported food safety measures, youth tobacco use prevention, and mental health and substance abuse prevention. Edward Ehlinger, MD, commissioner of health for the Minnesota Department of Health Arthur T. McCormack 2017 Award In addition to directing the work of the Minnesota Department of Health, Ehlinger formerly served as ASTHO president, where he exemplified his dedication to advancing the important work of public health and improving health for all. Keith Yamamoto, MPA, deputy director of the Hawaii Department of Healt Noble J. Swearingen 2017 Award Yamamoto, a key member of ASTHO’s Senior Deputies Committee, has provided critical guidance and expertise in state and territorial public health leadership. In addition, ASTHO presented its 2017 Vision Awards and the de Beaumont Foundation PH WINS: Research to Action Model Policies and Practices Challenge Awards. ASTHO congratulates the 2017 award winners for demonstrating excellence in public health leadership and working tirelessly to protect and promote our nation’s health. ASTHO Press Release Boilerplate website yes

Multistate Measles Outbreak Drives Up State Health Agency Costs and Points to Importance of Quality Immunization Communication ARLINGTON, VA—With the Disneyland measles outbreak up to 87 cases in seven states as of Jan. 26, state health departments are responding to the disease by educating primary care providers and the public about measles and conducting contact tracing. Measles is airborne and one of the most contagious diseases in existence-it can linger in a room for up to two hours after the infected person has left. It also remains pervasive around the world and can easily be imported into other countries. WHO reports that although measles deaths decreased by 73 percent worldwide between 2000 and 2013, measles still caused 145,700 deaths globally in 2013. "Measles was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000. Sadly, this status is endangered," says Paul Jarris, MD, MBA, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) executive director. "Many parents and physicians have never seen a case of measles before. This outbreak demonstrates why we can never let our guard down against vaccine-preventable diseases." Due to its highly infectious nature, health departments have to respond rapidly and thoroughly to contain outbreaks and save lives. If a measles patient has traveled to school, the grocery store, or any other public space, a large group of people may have been exposed to the disease. State health departments are responsible for ensuring that patients are isolated to prevent further spread. They then identify potential contacts, educate them about measles symptoms, advise them on when to go to the doctor, and encourage them to become immunized if they aren't already. "At ASTHO, I'm proud of the work that the California Department of Public Health and other states are doing to protect our children by containing this outbreak, preventing future ones, and bringing us closer to maintaining full elimination status," Jarris says. In addition to the time spent containing a measles outbreak, responding to them is expensive for state and local governments. A March 2014 study found that there were 16 measles outbreaks in 2011 that resulted in 107 cases, which cost local and state public health departments an estimated $2.7 million to $5.3 million. However, these outbreaks and their time and economic burdens are preventable. Every dollar spent on the child measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine saves $23.30, according to CDC. "This is an important opportunity for public health to continue to articulate the benefits of immunization," says Kathy Talkington, ASTHO's senior director of immunization and infectious disease. "This measles outbreak illustrates that we live in a global world, and as long as these diseases exist in other countries, we must continue to protect ourselves in all communities through high immunization rates." See ASTHO's blog StatePublicHealth.org for the full article on the measles outbreak, as well as tips on how public health professionals can communicate with the public and primary care providers about how vaccines can prevent outbreaks and save lives. ASTHO Press Release Boilerplate website yes