From Feb. 24-28, ASTHO hosted its annual Washington Week. Below are photos and highlights from a packed week of meetings, leadership sessions, and training opportunities!
Washington Week: ASTHO Kicks Off Washington Week With Annual Board Meeting
On Monday, Feb. 24, ASTHO held its annual board meeting. The convening was an invaluable opportunity to align on ASTHO 2020 priorities, our work with federal and local agencies, and shared state responses to emerging health threats. Jay Butler (alum-AK), Deputy Director for Infectious Diseases at CDC, spoke to the board about state roles in the federal government’s Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative, and also briefed members on the evolving COVID-19 outbreak. Robert Kadlec, Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), also provided a COVID-19 update on the current state of federal activities, quarantine protocols, ASPR’s role in mitigating medical supply issues, and the impact of COVID-19 on the medical supply market. ASTHO staff Mary Anne Cooney and Melissa Lewis closed the meeting with an update on the 2020 ASTHO Challenge, which is a concentrated effort to increase investments in community health through local, place-based strategies.
Washington Week: ASTHO Hosts Conversation With HRSA Leadership, COVID-19 Debrief Dinner
Following the board meeting, S/THO’s moved into our first open session of Washington Week: “Advancing Health Together: A Conversation with HRSA Leadership.” HRSA administrator Tom Engels delivered opening remarks, after which ASTHO President Nate Smith (SHO-AR) facilitated conversations between members of HRSA Leadership and S/THOs. The conversations focused on a variety of topics, including supporting the health workforce, increasing access to care in rural areas, advancing maternal and child health, integrating behavioral health care services, and ending the HIV epidemic. After the HRSA session, SHOs moved into a discussion on COVID-19 lead by Jay Butler (Alum – AK, CDC Deputy Director for Infectious Disease), with a dinner and networking reception ending the day’s activities.
Washington Week: S/THOs Attend Leadership Sessions at Georgetown University Law Center
On Tuesday, Feb. 25, 45 S/THOs convened at the Georgetown University Law Center for the Medicaid and Public Health Partnerships workshop. Joined by Surgeon General Jerome Adams, Georgetown staff, as well as panelists from organizations such as Kaiser Permanente, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, and the Bipartisan Policy Center, discussion focused on issues such as increasing access to care, options for non-Medicaid expansion states to provide enhanced coverage, interactions with governors and health industry payers, and court challenges to the Affordable Care Act. Following the end of the workshop, STHOs were taken to the White House for a meeting on the response to COVID-19.
Washington Week: ASTHO Alumni Host Mentoring Event
Elsewhere on Tuesday afternoon, members from the ASTHO Alumni Society attended Washington Week to support investing and strengthening public health agencies and their leadership. Alumni participated in mentor training and shared strategies for helping new SHOs identify a clear definition of success in their new roles. For the first year ever, alumni also attended ASTHO’s Hill Day to meet with members of Congress and their staff, advocate for public health, and promote ASTHO’s legislative agenda.
Washington Week: ASTHO Members and Affiliates Convene on Capitol Hill for Day of Public Health Advocacy
On Feb. 26, ASTHO, the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), and members of the Big Cities Health Coalition (BCHC), State Associations of County and City Health Officials (SACCHOs), and the National Association of Local Boards of Health (NALBOH) held our annual Hill Day to share the message of the critical need for sustained, predictable investments in public health. Senator John Boozman of Arkansas kicked off the day with remarks to the ASTHO and NACCHO membership. While on Capitol Hill, ASTHO members and alumni met with representatives from 31 states and territories as well as key leadership of the House and Senate appropriations committees. Health officials discussed their states’ needs as they respond to and prepare for COVID-19, the need for bipartisan support for improved CDC funding, and top priorities for advancing public health in their home state. To continue the conversation at home, see ASTHO’s suite of advocacy materials.
Washington Week: State, Territorial, and Local Health Officials Meet with White House to Discuss COVID-19 Response
On the evening of Feb. 25, ASTHO and NACCHO members gathered at the White House for a meeting with administration officials and federal health agency leadership. At the forefront of the agenda was the cross-governmental response to COVID-19. As the outbreak evolves—and sustained transmissions likely occur in U.S. communities—coordinated response efforts across all levels of government will be critical. The meeting provided an opportunity for leaders across agencies and jurisdictions to voice their unique concerns, perspectives, and needs as efforts ramp up. The central message of the convening was that state and local agencies will carry out the ground work of the response, with federal agencies ready and willing to help however necessary.
Washington Week: ASTHO Holds Joint Policy Committee Meeting on Food Safety
On Feb. 27, ASTHO hosted a food safety meeting with members of ASTHO’s environmental health and infectious disease policy committees and staff from CDC, FDA and USDA. Meeting topics included a federal overview of food safety programs, tools and technologies for a smarter food safety system, the food safety workforce and incorporating a comprehensive approach to food safety. The discussions from the meeting helped policy committee members finalize policy considerations for an ASTHO policy statement on food safety.
Washington Week: ASTHO, HRSA Convene to Share State Strategies to End the HIV Epidemic
Also on Feb. 27, ASTHO, with support from HRSA, hosted a meeting to develop collaborative state partnerships to end the HIV epidemic. State teams from Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Carolina, Missouri, and Oklahoma were in attendance, along with NACCHO, CDC, and the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD). Teams discussed partnerships and strategies to address stigma, shape policy, and build relationships to reach populations not currently engaged in care. States also discussed approaches to improve cultural competency in healthcare settings and engage community members in policy development.