Wednesday, May 16, 2012
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Letter from the Executive Director
Patrick J. McConnon

CSTE would like to extend an invitation to you to become a CSTE Member today. As a CSTE member, your support has a positive impact on public health practices. CSTE members are essential to the work we do during the year and your participation is greatly appreciated. Below are just a few of the significant accomplishments by CSTE and our members during the past year:

CSTE Key Accomplishments for 2011

  • Moved Strengthening America’s Public Health System Act (SAPHSA) Bill Language into Affordable Care Act (ACA) to support CDC and state workforce and ELC program increases.
  • Hosted the 3rd CSTE Workforce Summit to address improving the capacity of the epidemiology workforce,  identify the new skills and knowledge needed ways to promote their application and to identify challenges and opportunities for CSTE and its Partners in strengthening the epidemiology workforce
  • Hosted a National Surveillance Strategy Workshop to bring together national leaders in public health surveillance to begin updating the strategic vision for public health surveillance that addresses needs at the local, state, territorial and federal levels
  • Updated the 1995  Blueprint for a National Public Health Surveillance for the 21st Century (ongoing)
  • Worked with other public health organizations to reinstate and secure funding increases for public health programs through appropriations bills
  • Drafted public health priorities and coordinated visits with Congressional representatives and OMB for Executive Board and Policy Committee members
  • Authored and introduced position statements to influence national policy and standards around epidemiology and surveillance
  • Convened an Electronic Laboratory Reporting (ELR) Executive Committee and ELR Taskforce to strategically plan and address the critical opportunities and challenges for universal ELR adoption to support disease reporting, surveillance, and monitoring throughout the U.S.
  • Supported 61 Fellows within the CDC/CSTE Applied Epidemiology Fellowship Program at state and local public health agencies
  • Designed and completed  national assessments on key public health issues including: 
    • 2010 Epidemiology Enumeration Assessment
    • Chronic Disease Surveillance Activities using E-Health Information
    • CSTE /CDC ELR Taskforce Assessment of State ELR-Related Legal Issues
    • HIV Capacity Assessment  to better describe the current resources, needs, infrastructure, and practices of U.S. HIV surveillance programs
    • 2011 State Reportable Conditions Assessment (SRCA)   
  • Increased influenza pandemic preparedness by awarding 12 states and large cities funding to conduct Influenza Incidence Surveillance Pilots
  • Funded 4 sites to evaluate novel or enhanced approaches to influenza surveillance to characterize the burden of influenza hospitalization in the Influenza Hospitalization Surveillance Pilot. 
  • Updated the State Reportable Query-Results Webpage, State Reportable Weblinks, Nationally Notifiable Conditions position statements and the list of Nationally Notifiable Conditions
  • Participated in Biosense 2.0 redesign efforts by educating and recruiting states through technical webinars, individual contact and site visits in preparation for the November 15, 2011 launch.
  • Participated in the Joint Public Health Informatics Taskforce (JPHIT) with six other member organizations
  • Distributed the Chronic Disease Epidemiology Capacity State-Based Profiles
  • Supported three states to participate in the Novel H1N1 Death Case-Control Study of AI/AN populations
  • Continued support of the CSTE Disparities Subcommittee to use epidemiology to document health disparities and to provide quality data documenting health disparities to policy makers and collaborators at the local, tribal, territorial, state, and national levels. 
  • Convened the 2011 (4th Annual) Western States Occupational Network (WESTOn) meeting in collaboration with NIOSH to support minimum capacity for the surveillance of work-related injuries and illnesses at the state level
  • Developed, pilot tested, compiled, and disseminated standardized indicators on environmental and public health effects of climate change for ongoing surveillance
  • Convened a disaster epidemiology workshop in Atlanta to bring together epidemiologists from across disciplines to share best practices and collaborate on epidemiologic approaches towards improving all-hazard disaster preparedness and response capacities at local, state, regional, and national levels
  • Provided grants to states and large urban areas for training state employees on CIFOR’s Guidelines for Foodborne Disease Outbreak Response and accompanying Toolkit
  • Published the results of the 2010 Food Safety Epidemiology Capacity Assessment in a comprehensive technical report 
  • Strengthened the surveillance and response to zoonotic diseases through targeted efforts and partnership with NASPHV including support for the 2011 Compendiums Measures to Prevent Disease associated with Animal in Public Settings, Animal Rabies Prevention and Control, and Measures to Prevent Disease Associated with Animals in Public Settings.
  • Participated in peer-to-peer consultations for new and less established HIV/AIDS Surveillance Coordinators
  • Provided SAS and GIS training for HIV Surveillance Coordinators and data managers
  • Developed the document Public Health Referrals to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration
  • Participated in international consultations supporting influenza surveillance and global health initiatives in Morocco; Ukraine, Russian, and Afghanistan (scheduled for late 2011).
  • Co-sponsored regional epidemiology meetings in 3 regions (West,  Northeast, Southeast)
  • Published the  Assessment of Epidemiology Capacity in State Health Departments, 2004-2009 in Public Health Reports
  • Sent correspondences to the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives on H.R.1
  • Developed CSTE Response to the HIT Policy Committee Meaningful Use Workgroup Request for Comments Regarding Meaningful Use Stage 2

To view a complete list of CSTE publications and accomplishments visit our web site at www.cste.org.

CSTE is gearing up to tackle many new challenges. We cannot do this without our greatest resource, our Members. Every project, survey, training effort listed above is led by members and every publication from CSTE is authored by members. CSTE strives to exceed our member’s expectations through our attention to Best Practices, Public Health Policy, Training, Consultant, Public Health Law, National Disease Reporting, and Integrated Surveillance.
Some of the additional benefits of Membership are:

  • Real-Time Public Health News Articles
  • Online Subscription to Journal of Public Health Management and Practice
  • CSTE Quarterly Newsletter which is a professional association newsletter
  • "Washington Report" which is a bi-monthly report on federal legislation and regulations affection public health
  • Access to the secure Members Only sections of the CSTE Website
  • Annual Conference registration discounts.
  • Opportunity to participate in influencing important current public health issues
  • Opportunities to lead and participate in consultancies, workgroups, and teams
  • Leadership opportunities

Thanks again for being a valued member of our organization.  We look forward to a great 2012 and hope to see you at our Annual Conference! 

Sincerely

Pat McConnon
Executive Director
 

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