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View more news, opportunities and resources on the LPHA Info Hub.
UPCOMING DUE DATES
► Mar 30: RHTP Digital Readiness Survey due (optional) (link)
► Mar 31: MCH FFY2026 contract work plan amendments due to DNC
► May 1: Deadline to submit documentation for Incentives program through CLPHS
► May 1: FPHS Gap Analysis, Module 1: Current Financials due
► Oct 1: Deadline to complete PHAB Readiness Assessment (at no cost)
DHSS UPDATES
► Director's Message, 3/24/2026
► NPHW: Missouri-specific social media content for National Public Health Week is available on the Hub Resource Library.
► Nitazenes: A Health Advisory and press release went out from DHSS on Tuesday, March 24 regarding nitazenes in wastewater testing at Missouri schools. The following resources were shared in a Special Communications Notification on Monday and have been added to the Communications page of the Hub. Social media content has also been added to the Resource Library under the March section.
► RHTP Digital Readiness Survey: Provide your input by March 30 on digital tools, data exchange capabilities, security practices, reporting and governance, workforce capacity, financial sustainability, and infrastructure. Your responses will help DSS identify gaps and prioritize targeted investments and support through the Rural Health Transformation Project. Survey
► Ticks are already assaulting Missourians, and summer is a long way off. Help spread the word about the importance of tick prevention methods and how to check for and remove ticks that have already taken a bite. Education resources, including posters, trail signs, bookmarks and wallet cards can be ordered from DHSS. (link)
NATIONAL 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.
► 3/25/2026: New COVID variant BA.3.2 has been identified in at least 9 people, in airplane wastewater samples, and in wastewater samples from more than 20 states. (link)
► 3/25/2026: CMS launches ASPIRE Model for youth in Medicaid, CHIP with complex medical, behavioral health needs. Five state Medicaid agencies will be selected to participate. (link)
► 3/25/2026: Although his official position as acting director was set to expire March 25, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya will continue to lead the CDC until the director position is filled. (link)
► 3/25/2026: Dr. Oz and RFK Jr. propose robot AI nurses to save rural hospitals. (link)
► 3/24/2026: FDA announces approval of a new, higher-dose weight loss injection called Wegovy HD, that is triple the previous maximum dose. (link)
► 3/24/2026: Robert Malone angrily steps down from his role on the ACIP. Last week a federal judge temporarily blocked RFK Jr’s appointments to the panel and stayed the changes that its members had made to federal vaccine guidance, as well as the overhaul of the childhood vaccine schedule. (link)
► 3/24/2026: More than 350,000 birds are killed in Indiana in a massive avian flu outbreak. (link)
► 3/24/2026: Social and physical isolation, along with financial hardship, are linked to lower uptake of recommended preventive health services, according to researchers at Cambridge Health Alliance and Harvard Medical School. (link)
MISSOURI NEWS
► 3/25/2026: DSS announces the appointment of Joe Miller as Director of the new Rural Health Transformation Office (RHTO). He is from northeast Missouri and begins his new role on March 30. He will focus on innovative payment methods, strategic alignment, stakeholder integration, and accountability. (link)
► 3/25/2026: Thousands could lose their Medicaid in Kansas City, health leaders are calling for action. (link)
► 3/25/2026: Missouri health officials warn nitazenes, potent synthetic opioids, are hard to detect. (link)
► 3/25/2026: Missouri has a case of health care illiteracy among its legislators (student opinion piece) (link)
► 3/24/2026: CVS Health’s Aetna provided a total of $35,000 in funding to two community-based organizations in central Missouri to improve access to health care. (link)
RESOURCES
► Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month in April. Ozarks Public Health Institute has created resources to help prevent and respond to sexual violence.
WEBINARS/TRAINING/CONFERENCES
► Mar 26, 12:00 – 1:30 pm, The Public Health Impacts of the 2025 Executive Orders, hosted by the Network for Public Health Law. Information on the federal executive orders issued throughout 2025 was often scattered, making it difficult to appreciate the overall impact of these federal actions and related policies on public health. Learn more about the Network’s new resource, Executive Order Watch: Public Health Impact of the 2025 Federal Executive Orders, and the ongoing public health impacts of the 2025 executive orders and related actions in areas including equity, reproductive health, the Federal MAHA initiative, immigration, and voting. Register
► Apr 2, 1:00 pm, Identification of Potential Public Health Workforce Datasets and Their Utility for Future Research, Consequences of State Remote Work Policies on Rural Public Health, hosted by the Consortium for Workforce Research in Public Health as part of a series highlighting recent workforce topics. Register
► Apr 15, 1:00 - 3:00 pm, Grant Management and Compliance Training, Part 2, hosted by Missouri Public Health Institute. Register
► Sep 9 – 10, Fall Preparedness Summit, in Jefferson City, hosted by DHSS’ Office of Emergency Coordination with the Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) Program and the Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP). This will replace the traditional Fall Planners Meeting. Location, detailed agenda, and session times are being finalized, but attendees can expect engaging sessions on emergency preparedness and networking opportunities with partners across the state. Additional details, including a registration link, will be shared closer to the date.
► Sep 9 - 10, Missouri Rural Health Conference, hosted by Missouri Rural Health Association. Details to come.
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