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Strategic Policies Protect Breastfeeding in Workplaces and Schools

Blog,
Guam,
Utah,

Families who wish to breastfeed in the United States often face barriers in workplace and school settings. To address these disparities, federal, state, and territorial governments are adopting policies to improve lactation accommodations ...

Public Health Funding and the Role of Congress

News,

Advocating on Capitol Hill for strong public health systems is critical to advancing the work of state and territorial health agencies. ASTHO's 2019 “Washington Week” has come and gone, but the work is far from over.

States Support Postpartum Health with Medicaid Expansions

Blog,
Iowa,
Utah,

States Support Postpartum Health with Medicaid Expansions astho, association of state and territorial health officials, 2023 state legislative session, medicaid expansions, postpartum health, the consolidated appropriations act, national ...

Factoring Housing Into Federal and State Policies to Improve Community Health

Blog,

Housing and overall neighborhood conditions significantly influence a community’s health. Housing quality, stability, and affordability also directly impact an individual’s opportunity and ability to be healthy. There are several policies ...

Public Health Infrastructure Proposals Gain Steam in Congress

Blog,

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the consequences of decades of underfunding. To ensure we are better prepared for future pandemics and biological threats, we must consider the long-term investments required to bolster our public ...

The Intersection of Health and Housing: CMS’s Potential Medicaid Investments

Blog,

Emerging evidence indicates that affordable, safe, and stable housing directly impacts an individual’s health and well-being, emphasizing the importance of designing Medicaid benefits packages that incorporate the social determinants of ...

Changes to School Nutrition Programs Helping Curb Pandemic-Related Impacts

Blog,

The National School Lunch Program, a federally-assisted meal program run by USDA, has provided millions of children with nutritionally balanced, low-cost or no-cost lunches each school day.

The Shifting Legal Landscape of COVID-19 Vaccine Requirements

Blog,

As governments and private entities adopt COVID-19 vaccine protocols to protect health and safety, legal challenges are mounting. In some states, policymakers have proactively attempted to limit or prohibit adopting COVID-19 vaccine ...

Telehealth and Licensure Policies Improving Healthcare Access for Rural Communities

Blog,

Recent legislation at both the state and federal levels has significantly affected the ability of healthcare providers to serve patients virtually and across state lines.

Accessible Community Design to Support Physical Activity and Outdoor Recreation for People of All Ages and Abilities

Blog,

Community design strategies that increase the availability of safe and accessible outdoor spaces create more physical activity opportunities for people of all abilities.

Courts Considering Challenges to States Blocking School Mask Requirements

Blog,
Iowa,

Recent state laws and governor emergency orders prohibiting universal school mask protocols are complicating the implementation of CDC’s evidence-based guidance for COVID-19 mitigation measures for in-person school. Ten states have enacted ...

COVID-19 Pandemic Underscores Need for Tobacco Control Policies

Blog,
Utah,

The COVID-19 pandemic has further amplified the need for strong tobacco prevention and cessation policies. Research indicates that tobacco use is associated with increased rate of COVID-19 disease progression and increased likelihood of ...

Early Brain Development: A Keystone for Health Equity

Blog,

State and territorial health departments, federal agencies, and other national partner organizations are increasingly taking steps to support healthy brain development at the earliest stages of life.

Jurisdictions Using Policy to Address Unique Island Area Health Challenges

Blog,
Guam,

ASTHO has several members from the territories and Freely Associated States—jurisdictions with unique challenges, and do not fall under the category of a state or federal district. This post is a brief look at some of the public health ...

Home Visiting Reauthorization: The First Trimester

Blog,

The Maternal, Infant, Early Childhood Home Visiting program, which provides visiting services to parents with young children, is up for Congressional reauthorization. This post explores the importance of the program and why it should be ...

Despite Major Benefits, Flavored Tobacco Regulations Face an Uphill Battle Led by Big Tobacco

Blog,

Flavored tobacco policy has changed rapidly over the past few months. In April, FDA announced their intention to implement rules prohibiting the sale of menthol e-cigarettes and flavored cigars, though it may take years until they ...

What December Means for a Beloved Nutrition Program

Blog,

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children is a targeted public health nutrition program designed to support nutrition and health behaviors that reach low-income families. The program is funded through ...

Insular Areas Consider Variety of Public Health Related Legislation

Blog,
PFAS,
Guam,

Each year, ASTHO tracks and analyzes key legislation that impacts public health, and highlights the emerging trends for our members. While the bulk of the tracked legislation arises in state legislatures, ASTHO also follows legislation ...

Harnessing the Power of Rural: Expanding Access to Telehealth

Blog,

As we celebrate National Rural Health Day this year, we are reminded of how important telehealth can be for public health and healthcare. Telehealth can minimize challenges faced by rural patients and communities—such as transportation, ...

The Seven Biggest Public Health Policy Issues on the Hill in 2020

Blog,

As a truly historic year comes to an end, many public health policy issues received a considerable amount of attention in 2020. Subjects such as the pandemic that will live on in infamy, racial health disparities, and the future of the ...