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
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.
House E&C Committee advances SUPPORT Act reauthorization
On April 9, the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee marked up the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025. The bipartisan bill aims to reauthorize critical programs that target overdose prevention amid the renewal of the opioid crisis Public Health Emergency declaration.
Bird flu update: What county leaders should know
As of April 7, there have been 70 confirmed cases of bird flu in the United States, but no person-to-person spread has been detected.
HHS issues termination notices for health grant funding
On March 25, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) sent letters to state authorities and counties with direct grant funding announcing the immediate termination of several pandemic-related grants, which was previously set to run through September 2025.
Supported Mothers, Thriving Children: Connecting Maternal Health and Child Wellbeing
Counties can significantly improve children's health and wellbeing by supporting maternal mental health through a variety of key strategies. In this webinar, speakers will explore examples of local policies and programs that bolster county efforts to holistically address child wellbeing through focusing on maternal mental health and substance use. Participants will gain insights into local options for addressing maternal mental health needs and substance misuse, learn about the challenges and triumphs experienced by county programs, and discover new opportunities to strengthen their local children’s health services.
Federal Reforms to Medicaid Financing: What Counties Should Know (Part 2)
This two-part webinar series will examine the vital role Medicaid plays in supporting county-administered behavioral health and primary care services.
Ask a Public Health Expert: The Resurgence of Measles
Join NACo on Thursday, May 15 at 2 p.m. ET for a webinar on the resurgence of measles and what county leaders need to know. As outbreaks emerge across the U.S., this session will cover the history of measles, the importance of vaccination, current trends and how counties can respond effectively. The hour-long webinar will feature a 30-minute expert presentation followed by 20 minutes of audience Q&A. Don't miss this opportunity to hear from public health experts and get your questions answered.