Press Releases

Washington, DC (April 28, 2009)
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) is being honored by the Society of National Association Publications (SNAP) at its 29th Annual EXCEL Awards, which recognize the best and the brightest in association media and publishing. More »

Washington, DC (April 27, 2009)
As of this morning, 20 cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus have been confirmed in the United States by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Local health departments in New York City; San Diego and Imperial Counties in California; Guadalupe County, TX; Lorain County, OH; and Dickinson County, KS, are responding to existing outbreaks and taking measures to prevent further spread, while others are taking measures to detect new cases early and inform people how to stay safe. The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) can provide the media with expert commentary on the national outbreak and how local health departments are responding.  NACCHO's members are leaders in health departments across the country and many of them have been working around the clock to mount a response against the virus. Our media specialists can help connect you with national and local experts to speak to this outbreak. More »

Washington, DC (April 17, 2009)
Recent Salmonella outbreaks involving peanut butter and fresh produce underscore the need to repair gaps in state and local food safety programs and integrate them better with federal food safety efforts, according to a new report prepared with extensive input from state and local officials, including the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO).  The report calls for leadership by Congress and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to build an integrated national food safety system that makes effective use of the best science and all available public resources to prevent foodborne illness. More »

Washington, DC (February 18, 2009)
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) commends the U.S. Congress and the Obama Administration for including $1 billion for prevention and wellness in the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009. These funds will benefit the public's health by adding or restoring public health jobs and ensuring the operation of prevention programs that keep health care costs in check. More »

Washington, DC (February 9, 2009)
“A job in a local health department benefits the economy in three ways,” reports Robert M. Pestronk, executive director of NACCHO, as the U.S. Senate prepares to strip $5.8 billion for prevention and wellness from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. “Local health department staff spend their salaries locally. They serve residents of their communities who have lost their jobs. And they create a foundation for healthier communities and families that is essential to economic recovery and workforce productivity, whether by delivering immunizations to prevent disease or acting successfully to reduce obesity, smoking, or diabetes.” NACCHO urges Congress to preserve the House-passed funding for prevention that will save jobs in public health, a critical area of public service.  More »

Washington, DC (January 15, 2009)
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) was encouraged to learn today that the Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act introduced by the House Appropriations Committee includes a strong prevention and wellness component. The bill, which includes $550 billion in spending and $275 billion in tax cuts, calls for a $3 billion investment aimed at fighting chronic and other preventable diseases. More»

Washington, DC (January 9, 2009)
In late December, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a notice advising public health officials that a very high percentage of the dominant influenza virus strain this season is resistant to treatment with the antiviral drug (Tamiflu®) due to a genetic mutation. Doctors have been urged to test suspected flu viruses to see what strain they are in order to avoid prescribing treatments that would likely be unsuccessful, but public health experts say that the situation is a good reminder of the importance of getting vaccinated against the flu. More »

Washington, DC (December 10, 2008)
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) today announced a donation of up to one million doses of FluMist® (Influenza Virus Vaccine Live, Intranasal) by MedImmune in a partnership aimed at increasing influenza awareness and vaccinations in underserved communities and populations. NACCHO will make these donated doses of vaccine available to selected state and local health departments around the country starting this month. More »

Washington, DC (December 9, 2008)
The Trust for America's Health (TFAH) report card on state readiness to respond to public health emergencies, issued today, sounds a warning that funding cuts threaten to undermine the strides in national preparedness made since 9/11. Although great progress has been made on both the state and local levels, ongoing budget cuts jeopardize the ability of our nation’s first responders to protect the communities they serve. More »

Washington, DC (November 12, 2008)
Robert M. (Bobby) Pestronk, MPH, officially assumed his duties as NACCHO Executive Director today, succeeding Patrick Libbey.  Pestronk, who is NACCHO's immediate past president, was previously Health Officer for Genesee County, MI, where he protected and improved the health of the County's 430,000 residents in partnership with community members. As the director of the Genesee County Health Department, a position he held since 1986, Pestronk administered clinical, regulatory, and other human service programs in the areas of personal, community, behavioral, and environmental health. More »

Washington, DC (September 30, 2008)
If a bioterror attack, flu pandemic, or other public health emergency hit the United States tomorrow, would state and local health agencies be prepared? Could they quickly identify the threat and take the actions needed to protect the public? A new report, marking the conclusion of National Preparedness Month, says "yes." Public Health Emergency Preparedness: Six Years of Achievement, shows how state and local public health agencies have used six years of federal funding to turn the previously neglected U.S. public health system into a strong, coordinated, agile mechanism for protecting the health of the public. More »