Public Health

Governors play an important role in improving health outcomes for their residents. With an emphasis on finding equitable solutions to some of the most pressing public health issues, governors establish partnerships, utilize state resources, and work across multiple sectors and state agencies to develop and promote relationships to improve public health. The Public Health team supports Governors on various public health topics, including public health infrastructure, chronic and infectious diseases, population health, maternal and child health, and rural health. In addition to providing timely and individualized state-focused technical assistance to governors, their health advisors, and state agency leadership, our team is working to aid governors and public health leaders in statewide transformation efforts to build and improve public health through transformation efforts.

Our Focus Areas 

  • Disease Prevention and Management
  • Maternal and Child Health
  • Medicaid
  • Population Health
  • Public Health Infrastructure
  • Social Drivers of Health

Meet the Team

  • Brittney Roy, Program Director
  • Michelle LeBlanc, Senior Policy Analyst, Health
  • Asia Riviere, Policy Analyst
  • Eden Moore, Public Health Associate
  • Taylor Shelton, Public Health Associate
  • Abigail Smith Judstra, Policy Coordinator

Projects

NGA Public Health Library

Governors Recognize Suicide Prevention Month  

Governors Recognize Suicide Prevention Month  

Suicide is a leading cause of death and claimed the lives of nearly 50,000 individuals in 2022, according to preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ...
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NGA Releases Roadmap for Tackling Drug Overdose Epidemic

NGA Releases Roadmap for Tackling Drug Overdose Epidemic

Roadmap Outlines Strategies Targeting Growing Impact of Fentanyl Washington, DC –The National Governors Association (NGA) released a roadmap to help support Governors and state officials in developing policy solutions to ...
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Implementing Best Practices Across the Continuum of Care to Prevent Overdose

Implementing Best Practices Across the Continuum of Care to Prevent Overdose

This Roadmap provides Governors with 17 specific, actionable recommendations to prevent overdose across five pillars of the Substance Use Disorder Continuum of Care: foundations, prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery ...
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Tackling The Maternal And Infant Health Crisis: A Governor’s Playbook

Tackling The Maternal And Infant Health Crisis: A Governor’s Playbook

The National Governors Association Maternal and Infant Health Initiative Playbook is a guide designed to make transformational change in a system that has historically failed our mothers and babies, especially our ...
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New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy Unveils “Maternal and Infant Health Initiative Playbook”

New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy Unveils “Maternal and Infant Health Initiative Playbook”

Atlantic City, New Jersey – In the opening session of the National Governors Association (NGA) Annual Meeting, New Jersey First Lady Tammy Snyder Murphy released the “Tackling the Maternal and ...
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Leveraging Telehealth for Justice-involved Populations With Substance Use Disorders

Leveraging Telehealth for Justice-involved Populations With Substance Use Disorders

This brief reviews activities undertaken by states to expand the use of telehealth for justice-involved individuals with SUDs during the COVID-19 pandemic, share lessons learned, and highlight considerations for Governors ...
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Public Health and Green Spaces

Public Health and Green Spaces

Governors are leveraging the great outdoors to improve health outcomes and bolster state economies. Genetics play a role in one’s health; however, the environment in which one is raised and ...
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Maternal and Infant Health: Expanding Access and Quality of Care

Maternal and Infant Health: Expanding Access and Quality of Care

The third roundtable of the New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy’s Initiative on maternal and infant health took place in Detroit, Michigan, presided by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and ...
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Black Maternal Health Week 2023

Black Maternal Health Week 2023

Black Maternal Health Week, originated by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance, was created to raise awareness of diminished maternal health outcomes in America, especially among Black women. In the U.S., ...
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