The Healthy Brain Initiative (HBI) Data for Action project supports the integration of data on brain health and caregiving into public health planning efforts. State health leaders in the brain health space from Arkansas, Connecticut, Illinois, and New Jersey participated in the HBI Data for Action initiative as Cohort 1, with support from the Alzheimer’s Association and ASTHO. This episode showcases the inaugural cohort’s accomplishments.

Guests

Meghan Fadel: Data for Action Lead; Associate Director, Alzheimer’s Association

Elizabeth Conklin, MPH: Connecticut Data for Action Participant; Health Program Supervisor; Heart, Brain and Diabetes Health Unit; Chronic Diseases and Injury Prevention Section; Community, Family Health, and Prevention Branch; Connecticut Department of Public Health

Resources

• CDC: Alzheimer’s Disease and Healthy Aging Data Portal
• Alzheimer’s Association: BRFSS and Other Data Resources
• Alzheimer’s Association: E-News
• ASTHO: Healthy Aging and Brain Health
• ASTHO: HBI Road Map Module
• ASTHO: Public Health Review Morning Edition

There are many considerations when forming and managing an office of health equity or minority health. The National Association of State Offices of Minority Health shares how agencies across the United States have overcome common challenges and benefited from having a dedicated health equity office. In addition, the United States Virgin Islands Department of Health discusses initial successes and challenges experienced while establishing their office. Finally, the California Department of Public Health, with a well-established office of health equity, shares how their office utilized health equity liaisons and supported rural/tribal communities. This podcast episode complements the recently published ASTHOReport “Establishing an Office of Health Equity or Minority Health,” which examines different approaches to sustainability.

Guests

· Rohan Radhakrishna, MD, MPH, MS, Deputy Director and Chief Equity Officer, California Department of Public Health

· Justa Encarnacion, RN, MBA, HCM, Health Commissioner and Chief Public Health Officer, United States Virgin Islands Department of Health

· Veronica Halloway, Executive Director, National Association of State Offices of Minority Health

Resources

· Establishing an Office of Health Equity or Minority Health | ASTHO

· Islands Health Equity Framework | ASTHO

· Office of Health Equity | California Department of Public Health

· United States Virgin Islands Department of Health

· National Association of State Offices of Minority Health

· Public Health Review Morning Edition

Community health workers (CHWs) are frontline, public health professionals who share life experience, compassion, and cultural and value alignment with the communities they serve. They work in a range of settings under different titles, but what makes them unique is their ability to build deep trust with the people they serve based on their lived experience.

Despite robust evidence demonstrating the value of CHWs, sustainability of CHW positions and funding remains a perpetual challenge. In this episode, two industry experts with direct state public health experience discuss why it is so critical to invest in the CHW workforce as part of a health equity strategy, and share resources available to help recruit, retain, and sustain the workforce.

Guests:

· Joneigh Khaldun, MD, MPH, FACEP: Chief Health Equity Officer, CVS Health, alum–MI

· Sherri Ohly: Co-Director, Development, Envision

Resources:

· ASTHO: CHW resources

· Center for Community Health Alignment: CHW Model Best Practice Toolkits

· Community-Based Workforce Alliance: Advancing CHW Engagement in COVID-19 Response Strategies

· CVS Health:

o ASTHO-CVS Health: High-Impact Community Investments by Health Plans

o Health Equity

· Envision:

o Community Health Worker (CHW) Training and Technical Assistance Center

o Online community

o Newsletter

o Trainings

o CHW Sustainability Summit Journal (English or Spanish)

· National Association of Community Health Workers:

o Community Health Worker Pay Equity

o Sustainable Financing of Community Health Workers Employment

· Northern Arizona University, Center for Health Equity Research: Community Health Representative Integration Tools for Vaccine Deployment and Emergency Response

· Public Health Review Morning Edition