Understanding state public health: Functions and infrastructures of state health agencies

In early 2007, ASTHO began Phase II of the Understanding State Public Health project. Funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the goal of this project is to define the purposes, functions, roles and responsibilities of state governmental public health agencies and other entities engaged in state public health activity to improve health outcomes and the conditions in which improvements can occur. A major outcome of this project is the creation of a robust database and state public health information system to serve as a resource to state public health agencies, public health partners, and researchers. This project will promote empirical analysis of the relationship of state public health infrastructure to health outcomes, provide evidence for decisions about organizational structure and resource allocation, and enhance public support for state public health through clear, consistent communication and marketing.

This presentation will address a survey of state public health agencies designed to gather comprehensive data on the structure, activities and responsibilities of state public health and describe how the collected data will aid in projecting infrastructure, workforce, resources and leadership needs as well as inform the Voluntary National Accreditation Program.