The COVID-19 pandemic has exasperated challenges around access to nutritious and affordable foods. In response, the federal government has taken action to increase funding and access to programs to strengthen food security.
On Jan. 30, 2023, ASTHO released a statement commending the FDA on a new proposal to conduct individual risk assessments for blood donors, a policy that reflects the best available science while not promoting stigma and discrimination ...
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 ...
State Health Officials, Medical Experts, and Safety Advocates Call on FDA to Seek Removal of Ultra-High Dosage Opioids ARLINGTON, VA—The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO), together with the Physicians for ...
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.
The COVID-19 pandemic introduced new challenges for screening children’s blood lead levels, as screening rates across the country dropped during stay-at-home orders. A substantive federal policy change and provisions in the Infrastructure ...
Restrictions on flavored tobacco and nicotine products, including menthol, may reduce sales and reduce the number of new users.
While the Biden Administration and Congress have no shortage of immediate health issues to focus on, improving maternal health outcomes—particularly Black maternal morbidity and mortality—have become a priority for federal lawmakers. To ...
COVID-19 has revealed the stark reality of racial and ethnic health disparities that exist nationally. Black and Hispanic Americans were nearly three times more likely to die from COVID-19 than white Americans. Black and Hispanic Americans ...
As COVID-19 spread across the country, governors and health officials invoked their emergency powers to order physical distancing measures designed to reduce social interactions and slow the spread of the disease. Several of these ...
As COVID-19 continues to spread across the country, increased attention has been given to how schools, colleges, and universities can safely reopen for the upcoming 2020-2021 academic year. To note, many schools and institutions closed in ...
In 1965, while signing the Voting Rights Act into law, President Lyndon B. Johnson stated that “a man without a vote is a man without protection.” However, voting is a bit more complicated this year as it can increase the chance of ...
The federal legislative priorities listed in this document reflect the most pressing needs of ASTHO's members: state and territorial health officials.
The federal legislative priorities listed in this document reflect the most pressing needs of ASTHO's members: state and territorial health officials.
On June 30, 2022, the House Committee on Appropriations held its markup of the FY23 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill.
On March 28, 2022, the White House released President Biden’s FY23 proposed budget. The budget outlines the Administration’s funding priorities for the upcoming fiscal year. Congress has the authority to approve, reject, or modify the ...
One way states and territories can address ACEs in American Indian and Alaska Native communities is by adopting evidence-based home visiting programs that reflect the specific cultural values of the communities they are serving to reach ...
To help break the chain of COVID-19 infections, state and local health departments are conducting disease investigations and contact tracing, core tools of public health practice used to combat the spread of communicable diseases. This ...
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 ...