Reducing Congenital Syphilis Through Policy Initiatives

Join ASTHO and the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services for a webinar to expand on ASTHO’s Policy Considerations for Reducing Congenital Syphilis report, which explores promising policies and strategies to address rising congenital syphilis rates. Medicaid-specific policy levers to prevent congenital syphilis will be discussed after the report overview. Dr. Anne Zink, (SHO-AK) along with representatives of Alaska’s Department of Health and Social Services will share their firsthand experience using the report.

Despite being completely preventable, congenital syphilis cases in the United States continue to climb. While the reasons behind increasing congenital syphilis rates are complex and multi-faceted, a contributing factor may be barriers that deter or prevent pregnant people from accessing prenatal care, timely diagnoses, and appropriate treatment. Public health leaders play an important role in addressing congenital syphilis by promoting policies that dismantle these barriers.

After this webinar, attendees will be able to:

• Understand how state health leaders can implement or influence policies
• Learn how Alaska used the report to address congenital syphilis

Featured Speakers:

• Dr. Anne Zink, MD, FACEP, (SHO-AK), ASTHO past president
• Dr. Elizabeth Ohlsen, MD, [TITLE], Alaska Department of Health and Social Services
• Lindsey Kato, MPH, Director of Public Health, Alaska Department of Health and Social Services
• Julia Greenspan, Director, Infectious Disease Infrastructure and Policy, ASTHO