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View more news, opportunities and resources on the LPHA Info Hub.
UPCOMING DUE DATES
Sep 19: Deadline to complete the 3-question survey on whether you approve recommended revisions to the "health equity and social determinants of health" language in the Missouri FPHS Model.
Sep 19: Deadline to opt ouf of your Costing Assessment data being shared with Missouri Public Health Institute. Contact Daniel Bogle at Daniel.Bogle@health.mo.gov to opt out.
Sep 24: Deadline to register for 2025 Fall Preparedness Summit, taking place October 1st, 2025 from 8:30am-4:00pm at Living Hope Church, 3011 S Ten Mile Dr, Jefferson City, MO 65109. Lunch on your own. Afternoon will feature a Chemical Tabletop Exercise. Register
Sep 29: Deadline to register for Fall Regional Meetings
Oct 17: Deadline to apply to host a Pathways student intern in spring 2025
DHSS UPDATES
Director's Message, Sept 12, 2025
LPHA Update: Next call will be Sept 30, due to the Annual Public Health Conference scheduled for Sept 23 - 25. Visit the calendar on the LPHA Info Hub for more information.
Communication and Conflict Resolution for Regulators, training from BEHS (recording) and August session Q&A added to the BEHS page on the LPHA Info Hub.
Fall regional meetings: Dates and locations of all five meetings are listed below. A final agenda will be circulated soon, and the agenda will be the same for all five meetings. To receive incentive credit for this meeting, you must attend one FULL session. Sessions will run from 10:00 am to about 3:00 pm to allow for travel time. Registration is required by Sept 29th for each person who will attend. Cancellations should be emailed to Mary Blevins at Mary.Blevins@health.mo.gov
- Oct 14, DHSS Campus, 930 Wildwood Drive, Jefferson City, MO 65109
- Oct 15, Kirksville Chamber of Commerce, 315 S. Franklin, Kirksville, MO 63501
- Oct 16, Tri-County Ambulance District Training Room, 1703 W. Highway 116, Plattsburg, MO 64477
- Oct 21, Building attached to Shook Elementary School, 180 State Highway DD, Marshfield, MO 65706
- Nov 4, Madison County Health Department, 105 Armory Street, Fredericktown, MO 63645
Friday Facts: Friday Facts will be moving to the GovDelivery distribution platform for the first time in the October 3, 2025 edition. It will look a bit different, but nothing about the content will change. Everyone who is currently receiving Friday Facts will continue to do so. However, instead of the email coming from FridayFacts@health.mo.gov, it will be sent from
MissouriDHSS@public.govdelivery.com / Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services. We don’t expect it to go to your junk mail, but if you don’t see it in your inbox, you might check your junk mail and ensure this sender is marked as a safe contact. If you have team members who don’t already receive Friday Facts but would like to, feel free to
self-subscribe here.
DHSS In the News: Lisa Cox and Sami Jo Freeman from the DHSS Office of Public Information are guests on the Out Drive Podcast, hosted by Cliff Callis. They speak on the role of local public health agencies, relationship building between state and local agencies, and the importance of message development, especially during the COVID pandemic. Listen on YouTube (39 minutes).
NEWS
News items are posted for your situational awareness only and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of either DHSS or OPHI. News stories behind pay walls will not be included in order to ensure fair access to all.
9/17/2025: ACIP scheduled to meet today and tomorrow to discuss vaccine schedules and eligibility. (link)
9/17/2025: AHIP, the insurance company trade group, announces it will continue to cover updated COVID and flu vaccines through Dec 2026 with no cost-sharing for patients. (link)
9/17/2025: Moderna reports phase 4 clinical trials show strong immune response and no new safety concerns for its 2025-26 formulation of Spikevax COVID-19 vaccine. (link)
9/17/2025: On Tuesday, Sept. 16, the House Appropriations Committee majority released the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026, also known as a continuing resolution (CR), to fund the federal government through Nov. 21, 2025. This legislation also proposes to extend mandatory funding for health programs. (link)
9/16/2025: A new KFF public opinion poll shows 1 in 6 parents skip childhood vaccinations. Results show confidence in MMR and polio, but confusion about flu and COVID shots for kids. (link)
9/9/2025: Unicef reports that obesity surpasses underweight for the first time among school-age children and adolescents globally. (link)
RESOURCES
National Recovery Month, SAMHSA toolkit
Newborn Screening Awareness Month toolkit
Low cost prescription meds for Missourians: My Neighbor’s Charitable Pharmacy (Neighbor’s Pharmacy) serves low-income and under-resourced community members in Missouri. Because these individuals don’t often access routine/preventative healthcare services, they are prone to chronic diseases that require numerous medications. Medication compliance can also be an issue due to a lack of financial resources. They may not fill a prescription or skip doses to extend the life of the prescription. Neither option supports optimal health outcomes. Through collaboration with Dispensary of Hope, Convoy of Hope, Direct Relief, Americares, Cox Medical Center Branson, Mercy Health Systems, Taney and Stone County Health Departments, Burrell Behavioral Health, UMKC School of Pharmacy, area nonprofits, clinics, local businesses, and drug manufacturers' patient assistance programs, Neighbor’s Pharmacy model allows patients to access all needed medications for a low monthly membership fee, currently $10. Critical access to medications is essential to the health of rural Missouri, and Neighbor’s Pharmacy exists to improve the health and wellness of those in our community who have financial barriers or are uninsured by providing affordable access to medication and healthcare education. Residents from any Missouri county are encouraged to apply, and some medications may be mailed to participants. Learn more at https://www.myneighborscharitablepharmacy.org/
Breast health, early prevention services and education, incluing free mammograms and gas cards for travel to appointments. Learn more about the Gateway to Hope program.
ACIP on childhood vaccines, reaction and insights from Unbiased Science
Curated Rural Health Strategies, from County Health Rankings and Roadmaps
Food is Medicine resources
Public health risk communication training, 1.5 hour virtual course, available on CDC TRAIN
President Trump's new child health agenda, response from FrameWorks Institute (recording and slides), and additional resources:
Vaccination
Rigged Systems
Health Equity and Disparities
OPPORTUNITIES
Grant funding: DHSS has issued a grant funding opportunity for Reducing Barriers to Substance Use Disorder Recovery. The purpose of the grant is to establish new and/or expanding strategies that reduce barriers to accessing recovery supports and services for populations with higher rates of substance use disorders (SUDs), including those who have co-occurring substance use (SU) and mental health (MH) disorders. Projects should be tailored to meet the needs of target populations utilizing data-driven, evidence-based strategies that facilitate recovery and wellness contributing to an improved quality of life for those impacted by SUDs or co-occurring SU and MH disorders. Applications close October 14, 2025. Learn more
WEBINARS/TRAINING/CONFERENCES
Sept 23 - 25, Annual Joint Public Health Conference, "It Starts Here: Investing in Public Health." Hosted by MPHA, Section for Public Health Nursing, DHSS, MOCPHE, and MICH. Register
Sept 24, 11:00 am, Ethical Innovation in Public Health Communication, hosted by Arclet. The session will explore how AI can responsibly support, not replace, public health communications works, with a focus on equity, transparency and accuracy. Register
Sept 24, 2:00 pm, Philanthrophy’s Role in Advancing the Greater Good, hosted by County Health Rankings and Roadmaps. Learn how public health and health care professionals can work with philanthropic organizations to advocate for equitable policies, transform narratives that build solidarity, and create systems-level change. Register
Oct 2, 2:00 pm, Succession Planning, part 3: Putting the Plan into Action, hosted by ASTHO. Walk through a phased implementation approach for succession planning. Register
Oct 7, Public Health Improvement Training, in Pittsburgh, PA. Strengthen your abilities through interactive, skill building workshops and networking. Use code FAF205 for 20% off when you register.
Oct 8 – 10, Open Forum, Next Generation, hosted by the National Coordinating Center for Public Health Training, in Pittsburgh, PA. Share skills for stronger public health workforce, grow your community, and envision a bright and innovative future. Use code FAF205 for 20% off when you register.
Oct 14 – 15, Introductory Capitol Workshop, hosted by Missouri Foundation for Health. The workshop provides an overview of Missouri state government and appropriate ways to engage policymakers. Participants learn the legislative process, participate in a mock hearing, and discuss how to effectively build relationships with lawmakers. MFH pays for hotel, mileage, and meals. Register
Oct 15 – 16, DIMENSIONS: Tobacco-Free Advanced Techniques Train-the-Trainer, hosted by DHSS at the Lodge of the Four Seasons in Lake Ozark. This one and a half day training covers tobacco fundamentals, tobacco addiction, tobacco treatment strategies and a motivational intervention for tobacco cessation. Trainees will also be trained to facilitate the DIMENSIONS Tobacco Free Group – a 6-week group curriculum. The Advanced Techniques training is a train-the-trainer model, meaning participants will leave the training with the materials and knowledge to train other at their organization. Every trainee will have download access to the program materials at the completion of training. Register
Oct 29 – 30, TEEX: Medical Countermeasures: Point of Dispensing (POD), Planning and Response, Springfield, MO. Hosted by the Region D LPHA administrators. Learn how to coordinate plans to provide mass distribution of medical countermeasures in response to a large-scale public health incident in order to meet CDC’s 48-hour standard. There is no cost to attend, but class size is limited to 35 participants. Register
Nov 13, Annual Missouri Advocates' Retreat, hosted by Missouri Foundation for Health. Learn how to build relationships with elected officials, how to be creative with coalition building, and organizing and advocacy skills. Learn more about this free event. Register
Dec 4 – 5, Annual Rural Health Research Summit. Hoted by the Rural Health Research Center at the University of Missouri-Columbia. This event at the Drury Inn Conference Center in Columbia assembles administrators, clinicians, nurses, community health specialists, and other professionals dedicated to advancing health care in rural communities. Save the date. Details to come.
Dec 8 - 10, Governmental Public Health Summit, hosted by Missouri Public Health Institute. Governmental public health leaders from across the state will convene at Old Kinderhook to strengthen service delivery, advance systems change, build lasting connections, and celebrate the hard work LPHAs do every day. Topics were selected by LPHAs, and DHSS Director Sarah Willson will provide the keynote. Early Bird registration saves you $50 through October 17. Registration closes November 7. Learn more and register
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