Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) Cooperative Agreement

NIHB’s ASTHO Project

Project Description:

This project funded under sub-contract with the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) supports ASTHO’s cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The goal is to cultivate collaborative relationships, promote Health People 2020, and support and launching the National Tribal Public Health Accreditation Program.

The ultimate benefit that will result from this project is providing Tribes, Tribal Leaders, Tribal health providers, Tribal Epidemiology Centers, and Tribal members with the information regarding important public health regarding Tribal/State relations, Healthy People 2020, and Public Health Accreditation efforts, which will empower the Tribes to reduce health disparities for American Indian and Alaska Natives. This remains the shared goal of all the partners and stakeholders involved in this cooperative agreement.

Objective 1

• Expand collaboration among Tribal and State entities
• Enhance communication and collaboration with Tribal Epidemiology Centers with the establishment of the Tribal Epidemiology Center Workgroup
• Support and facilitate the relationship between the CDC and the Tribal Advisory Committee

The governmental public health system in the United States is comprised of federal agencies, state health agencies, tribal and territorial health departments, and more than 2,500 local health departments. Coordination across these different levels of government is essential to ensuring the public’s health. In 1988, the Institute of Medicine defined "public health" as "fulfilling society’s interest in assuring conditions in which people can be healthy." Different organizations and agencies achieve this goal in different ways, depending on their mandates or missions. NIHB and ASTHO have created a primer to introduce Tribal leaders to State Public Health.

Please see the full PDF, CLICK HERE

Objective 2

• Disseminate informational materials to educate Tribal Health Organizations on Health People 2020
• Identify Tribal related objectives of the Health People 2020.
• Development of the National Youth Advisory Council to advise NIHB and partners on health promotion and disease prevention issues among other health related topics

Objective 3

• Collaboration, facilitation, and support for the Public Health Accreditation Board on the launch and implementation of Tribal Public Health standards and measures for Tribal Health Departments/Organizations.
• Assist PHAB with translation and adaptation of accreditation resources into agency, community and Tribal relevant resources to ensure effective and culturally acceptable policies and procedures for AI/AN populations
• Coordinate and facilitate Tribal Public Health Accreditation Advisory Board meetings
• Facilitate relationships between Tribal Public Health Departments/Organizations, State Health Departments, and PHAB.