Healthy Counties Initiative
NACo’s Healthy Counties Initiative creates and sustains healthy counties by supporting collaboration and sharing evidence-informed approaches to pressing health issues. The initiative is centered on supporting and elevating best practices and county innovations in public health. By addressing key public health issues, Healthy Counties empowers county leaders with resources for promoting and advancing health policies and programs that meet the needs of their communities.
The Healthy Counties Initiative is supported by the Healthy Counties Advisory Board, a committee comprised of county elected officials, key county agency staff and corporate partners. These members work collaboratively to identify priorities and ensure that other county leaders receive timely and useful information to make appropriate health decisions for their communities.
Resource
Healthy Counties: Fostering Better Health Outcomes in Children and Older Adults
CMS announces funding to improve the continuity of care for justice-involved individuals
On September 27, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced $106.5 million in state planning grants aimed at improving healthcare continuity for individuals transitioning from incarceration.
CMS proposes rules to increase healthcare access for key populations
On September 9, NACo submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on two key areas: revisions to Medicare’s custody definition and Special Enrollment Period for formerly incarcerated individuals, and updates to crisis stabilization unit payment policies.
Treasury, DOL and HHS release final rule on Mental Health Parity
On September 9, the U.S. Department of Treasury, Labor and Health and Human Services issued a final rule to further enforce provisions under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, a sweeping mental health parity rule enacted in 2008. The rule establishes equitable treatment limits for mental health and substance use, in line with medical and surgical benefits.
Fall vaccines: Why they are important and how county leaders can support uptake
New versions of the flu and COVID-19 vaccines are now available and recommended for everyone 6 months and older.
New federal measures aim to enhance online protection for youth
On July 30, the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passed the bipartisan Kids Online Safety and Privacy Act, aiming to shield children from online dangers.
Implementing the Medicaid Reentry Waiver in California Counties: Key Policy and Operational Insights
Counties have access to new resources to improve community safety and reduce overdose deaths as a result of recent changes to federal Medicaid policy. Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia have applied for the Medicaid Reentry Demonstration waiver so far and eleven state proposals have been approved as of August 2024.
How will these changes affect your county? Join us to learn what is happening across the country as states and counties begin implementing these substantial systems changes. Key learnings from the MacArthur Foundation’s Safety and Justice Challenge work with 11 counties in California – the first approved waiver state -- will be shared along with implications for counties across the country.
Stage CARES (Community Abatement Resources & Economic Solutions): Patent-Pending, Evidence-Based Tools to Solve the Opioid Epidemic at County and State Levels
Join us for a NACo Sponsored webinar to spotlight Stage CARES – Community Abatement Resources Economic Solutions. CARES is designed to help counties and states effectively solve their opioid epidemic through innovative, evidence-based tools and strategies. This session will share insights from national and local leaders.
Discover how CARES patent-pending technology provides data-driven recommendations along with program cost estimates from Stage Analytics’ Co-founders and Principals, Dr. Caleb Alexander, and Dr. Bill Padula.
Learn how to develop evidence-based plans and budgets for your county’s opioid abatement strategy.
Gain practical knowledge from local leaders on how CARES enables efficient collaboration and coordination among stakeholders.
Explore the platform’s capabilities in collecting, measuring, and visualizing real-time, compliant data to meet settlement requirements.
This webinar offers a unique opportunity to see firsthand how Stage CARES can empower your community with the tools and insights needed to solve your opioid epidemic. Don’t miss out—reserve your spot today!
State Funding for County Behavioral Health Crisis Services: Examples and Opportunities
This webinar is hosted by the National Association of Counties (NACo) in partnership with The Pew Charitable Trusts and the MacArthur Foundation.