National Association of County and City Health Officials NACCHO360 

The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) held its annual NACCHO360 conference in July in Detroit, Michigan. The conference convened over 3,500 public health practitioners both in-person and participating virtually under the theme “Heard it Through the Grapevine: How Partnerships, Innovation, and Collaboration are Improving Public Health Outcomes.”  

The State of Local Public Health: Workforce and Leadership Challenges    

Local health departments (LHD) were well represented by attendees at NACCHO360, and sessions offered an opportunity for LHD staff to learn from one another, strengthen networks, build relationships, and generate new approaches to common challenges. A session hosted by NACCHO staff covering a NACCHO training program for new local health officials highlighted the current crisis in public health workforce and leadership. Over half of current public health executives have held their positions for less than five years, and 44% of the public health workforce reports planning to leave their roles by 2026. Strengthening and supporting the current and emerging public health workforce is critical.  

Applying Legal and Policy Frameworks to Harm Reduction Services    

Several sessions at NACCHO360 examined the role of legal frameworks and policy approaches to addressing the country’s ongoing opioid epidemic and substance use disorder challenges. Jonathan Larsen of the Center for Public Health Law at Temple University shared analyses of opportunities for legal and policy reform related to drug policing, opioid use disorder health care, harm reduction, and social determinants of health in a presentation titled “Using Law to Stop Opioid Deaths Now: Local Government Legal Opportunities Through a Whole of Government Lens.

PCG at NACCHO: Opioid Settlement and the Future of Public Health  

PCG was pleased to host a networking event at NACCHO360, “Opioid Settlement and the Future of Public Health”. This event was an opportunity for local public health practitioners and decision-makers to gather and share their knowledge, experience, and questions related to utilizing opioid settlement funds. PCG subject matter experts facilitated an interactive session that guided attendees through meaningful conversations on issues such as workforce development and integrating health equity into their strategies.