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
House passes SUPPORT Act reauthorization
On June 4, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025 (H.R. 2483) by a strong bipartisan vote of 366–57. The bill, which reauthorizes billions of dollars for critical programs that target overdose prevention, now heads to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, where a version of the bill was overwhelmingly advanced with bipartisan support in the 118th Congress.
CMS increases oversight on states’ use of Medicaid funds for undocumented immigrants
On May 27, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced it is increasing federal oversight of state Medicaid programs to ensure compliance with federal law regarding the use of Medicaid funds for undocumented immigrants.
Measles on the rise: What county officials need to know
Vaccination is the most effective defense against measles, and county leaders can use their voices to encourage uptake of the MMR vaccine.
NACo offers new Medicaid resources as Congress advances Budget Resolutions with major Medicaid reform implications
On April 10, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to adopt a Senate-passed budget resolution, marking the next step in the budget reconciliation process. The proposed funding levels therein represent significant potential cost shifts to counties, particularly in the area of Medicaid financing. To help county leaders understand what’s at stake, NACo has developed two new resources.
County Countdown – April 21, 2025
Every other week, NACo's County Countdown reviews top federal policy advocacy items with an eye towards counties and the intergovernmental partnership. This week features the ARPA reporting deadline, a budget reconciliation update and more
U.S. House reintroduces legislation to address the Medicaid Inmate Exclusion Policy
Two bipartisan bills aimed at addressing the Medicaid Inmate Exclusion Policy (MIEP) were recently reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.