ASTHO President Scott Harris, MD, MPH, Testifies to Congress Advocating for Sustainable and Predictable Public Health Funding

, /PRNewswire/ -- Scott Harris, MD, MPH, president of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and state health officer for the Alabama Department of Public Health, testified today before the House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Education and Related Agencies.

Harris emphasized the importance of providing sustainable and predictable federal funding for key programs and initiatives at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Health Resources and Services Administration, and other federal health agencies that enhance our nation's public health. In addition, he mentioned the challenges associated with the recent cancellation of COVID-19 grants by HHS.

"Governmental public health agencies are on the front line protecting our nation and improving the health and well-being of the entire U.S. population. Our country continues to face many public health challenges, deaths associated with chronic diseases, the re-emergence of vaccine-preventable diseases, and opioid misuse," says Dr. Harris. "To build long-term resilience, public health funding must be consistent, forward-looking, and rooted in community-driven initiatives that address the needs of people where they live."

ASTHO calls on Congress to provide stable and long-term financial support for public health agencies. Without consistent investment, state, local, tribal and territorial health agencies will struggle to strengthen their infrastructure, build public trust and protect the health and safety of all Americans. We must have a firm commitment to lasting resources that ensure a healthier future for our communities.

For more information about the hearing, please visit the committee website and read Dr. Harris's full testimony.

ASTHO is the national nonprofit organization representing the public health agencies of the United States, the U.S. territories and freely associated states, and Washington, D.C., as well as the more than 100,000 public health professionals these agencies employ. ASTHO members, the chief health officials of these jurisdictions, are dedicated to formulating and influencing sound public health policy and to ensuring excellence in public health practice.

SOURCE Association of State and Territorial Health Officials