State and local agencies develop and implement public health policies, looking for ways to improve health outcomes at the population level. Public health spans medical, behavioral, mental, and developmental health, among others. States often set the underlying regulatory standards that health institutions must follow, and manage much of the licensing to enforce those regulations. However much of the decision-making for the implementation of public health policy is relegated to county governments, which focus on the needs of specific communities. During times of emergency such as the COVID-19 pandemic, state governments can issue guidance and convene county health departments to enable better coordination of services and policies. State and local governments have recently attempted to ameliorate poor health policy and outdated public infrastructure to improve future government response to health crises, making them an even larger actor in subsequent health response efforts.
Water quality field/lab technician Jan Paul and water resources planner Angie Reed discuss the importance of sharing data they collect and analyze from the Penobscot River with tribal, state, and federal audiences. Learn more about how the pair utilize its skills to improve public health outreach for Penobscot citizens.
Psychology PhD candidate Janey Dike shares her interest in trauma-informed, community-based supports and how it has motivated her goal to bridge science and policy.
Integrative life sciences PhD candidate Adele Balmer shares her experience with policymaking in Virginia and how the results from a mathematical model she built has inspired her to work in science policy after graduation.
Read about the impact of the work done by Professor Denise Chavira’s research group, the Culture and Anxiety Lab for Mental Health Advances (CALMA) at UCLA. The group targets the extra hurdles ethnic minorities in rural communities of the U.S. have to manage around stigma, knowledge, and access to mental health services. Chavira's group is dedicated to improving mental health services in chronically underserved communities by working and building trust in Imperial Valley, California.
One Health Institute (OHI) has played a role in connecting scientists and policymakers in crafting local, science-driven solutions for urban development. OHI has expanded in purpose and scope to serve as that platform for communication and develop brand applications and websites so diverse groups can develop projects together. ESAL had the pleasure of speaking with Professor Susan VandeWoude, director at OHI to learn more about their initiatives.
ESAL sat down to chat with Liz Snyder, a PhD turned co-founder turned Alaska state representative. Snyder uses her interest in environmental public health to lead initiatives that fortify Alaska's food systems at the state level. Snyder discusses how her education has impacted her long-term goals and career choices as well as her current projects.
HPREP or the Health Professional Recruitment and Exposure Program provides a platform to encourage students to pursue careers in science. Executive director Harim Won discusses the program's aim to eliminate educational disparities and increase representation of underrepresented and disadvantaged groups in related professions.
As she attended machine learning conferences, Savannah Thais realized her interest in creating more intelligent models that can address on-Earth problems like opioid abuse and COVID-19 vaccine distribution.
Mónica Feliú Mójer hablo con ESAL sobre Aquí Nos Cuidamos, una colección gratuita de contenidos educativos, comunitarios y multimedia sobre Covid 19, cienca y salud pública creada por Ciencia Puerto Rico. El grupo de científicos produce recursos culturalmente relevantes para equipar a los puertorriqueños, y sobre todo en las comunidades marginadas, a responder ahora a la pandemia y a los desafíos en el futuro.
