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Updated Rundown of State and Territorial COVID-19 Mask Requirements

Blog,
Guam,
Ohio,

Several states and territories, as well as many local governments, are going beyond recommendations and requiring individuals to wear face coverings when they are in public settings and spaces (i.e. grocery stores, retail stores, ...

Addressing Privacy Concerns of Using Mental Healthcare via Telehealth

Blog,
Ohio,
Utah,

In an effort to help meet demand, some states and territories have joined interjurisdictional licensing compacts that allow a mental healthcare provider licensed in one state to provide care in another state—without needing to gain ...

Courts Consider Whether State Vaccination Laws Must Include a Religious Exemption

Blog,

During the 2022 state legislative sessions, at least 20 states considered bills that would require a religious exemption to a vaccine requirement. As state legislatures continue considering vaccine protocols for COVID-19, HPV, and other ...

State Legislation to Declare Racism a Public Health Crisis and Address Institutional Racism

Blog,

The movement to address racism through policy change in the U.S. is receiving significant political support at every level of government. Government institutions are acknowledging the systemic oppression of people of color that persists in ...

Social Distancing: How States are Handling Business Closures

Blog,

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, states are using their emergency powers to authorize a variety of social distancing measures. This post is a summary of executive orders that have led to the closure of many businesses and nonprofit ...

ASTHO Policy Watch 2022: Maintaining Public Health’s Legal Authority to Prevent Disease Spread

Blog,
Iowa,
Ohio,

States and territories have broad powers to protect public health and safety, including powers to prevent and control the spread of communicable disease typically exercised by state and territorial health departments. This authority is an ...

Shifting Legal Landscape of Public Health and Places of Worship

Blog,
Ohio,
Utah,

Reconciling the tension between public health and civil liberties is one of the most significant challenges of public health law and ethics. The Supreme Court of the United States historically upheld state authority to enact and enforce ...

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.

States Consider Role of COVID-19 Vaccination for School Enrollment

Blog,
Iowa,
Ohio,
Utah,

This week might have marked the beginning of summer, but many policymakers and health officials have their eye on the upcoming school year and what that might mean in terms of getting students vaccinated against COVID-19. According to a ...

State Actions on COVID-19 Vaccine Verification

Blog,
Iowa,

As the number of COVID-19 vaccinations grows, some states are looking at their vaccination rates to determine when to loosen measures that mitigate the spread of COVID-19, such as venue capacity limits, business closure times, and masking ...

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 ...

Measles Outbreaks and School Exclusions: Public Health’s Authority to Protect Children and Stop the Spread of Disease

Blog,

States can use strategies like school vaccination requirements to help combat the spread of communicable diseases that have robust availability of a highly effective vaccine, such as measles.

2023 Legislative Session Update: Part Two

Blog,
Iowa,

A mid-session legislative update on five of ASTHO's top 10 public health state policy issues to watch in 2023: data privacy and modernization, reproductive health, health equity, strengthening public health agencies, and immunization.

How States are Preparing for Opioid Settlement Funds

Blog,
Ohio,

The opioid crisis continues to claim the lives of thousands across the United States and has cost the economy billions in health care, mortality, and criminal justice costs. In 2018, it’s estimated that 67,367 people died of overdose, with ...

Handle with Care: State Newborn Screening Policies

Blog,
Utah,

In the U.S., jurisdictions vary in their newborn screening practices and requirements related to the scope of testing, approach to parental consent, options for blood sample destruction, sample retention periods, and permissible uses of ...