Author: Mona Poblete, MPH, Public Health Systems and Improvement Senior Analyst, ASTHO

Communications is an integral part of the Foundational Public Health Services framework. As the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) explains, “Public health communication ensures people get the right health information, at the right time, in a way they can understand and trust.”

There are many ways of building communications infrastructure in public health. For instance, a health department may house approved public messaging templates, media contact lists, brand assets, and communications toolkits for local partners in a centralized digital platform. Or externally, a department can lead a coordinated risk communication effort during an outbreak, providing situation updates to the public, distributing FAQs to schools and healthcare providers, and posting in plain language on social media to counter misinformation.

Whether considering internal communications within a public health agency or external communications to the communities a health department serves, communications remain a staple for overall public health infrastructure. Additionally, strengthening strategies for clear and effective communication with legislators and policymakers about the impact of public health funding on our local communities, and highlighting data that supports those findings, are crucial to sustaining the work and shaping the direction of public health.

Resources to Improve Communications

• Communications Training Catalogue
  Sharing accurate information and promoting trust are more important than ever for public health. The Public Health Training Centers offer a wide array of public health communications trainings that provide practical guidance for navigating the communications landscape in uncertain times.  
• How Does Your State Funding Compare to Others?
  Successful communication with state and territorial legislators starts with collecting data that reflects what is occurring in the community. ASTHO’s Government Affairs team utilizes the CDC State & Territory Funding Profiles to compare funding across jurisdictions. This page provides an overview of how Public Health Infrastructure Grant (PHIG) funding is allocated across the 107 HDs over the five-year grant period by strategic area (workforce, foundational capabilities, and data modernization).
• Communicating About Public Health
  In 2025, the de Beaumont Foundation created a toolkit to help public health professionals build public health literacy in their communities. This toolkit includes research-tested talking points to explain what public health is and how to build understanding of public health work, guidance on identifying and creating opportunities to communicate about public health, and best practices for effectively communicating in a variety of situations.
• Talking Health: A New Way to Communicate About Public Health
  In 2022, the de Beaumont Foundation published the book Talking Health: A New Way to Communicate About Public Health, which addresses how to clearly and effectively communicate what public health is, what public health workers do, and why their work is important. This book provides tools to improve communication through framing, messaging, and storytelling.
• Tackling Public Health Communication Conundrums: Rumors and Public Trust
  As part of the INSPIRE: Readiness portfolio, the Tackling Public Health Communication Conundrums: Rumors and Public Trust webinar focused on strategies to safeguard public health and build public trust. This webinar discussed today’s fast-paced information landscape, shared real-world strategies, and discussed lessons learned. Viewers will discover innovative communication tactics, cross-agency collaborations, and community engagement tools to help dispel public health rumors for enhanced public health readiness.
• Field-Tested Strategies for Effective Communication in Public Health
  This ASTHO blog reviews suggestions that emerged from a peer-to-peer exchange on communication strategies public health professionals use nationwide. The topics covered include communicating through change, supporting sustainability, and program goals.
• Don’t Panic! A Panel on How to be an Effective Crisis Communicator
  Moderated by ASTHO’s Chief Medical Officer, Susan Kansagra, MD, MBA, this webinar featured insights from subject matter experts on best practices for communicating about trending public health threats, innovative resources for applying the latest risk communications research, and an overview of practical tools to help public health communicators effectively address crises and emergencies across diverse jurisdictions.
• Strategic Public Health Messaging Drives Change
  This ASTHO blog reviews topics from a training session at the ASTHO Spring Leadership Forum that explored several communication strategies with state and territorial health department leaders, offering insights into how public health champions can share compelling messages that drive action and meaningful change.

Health departments can utilize PHIG funding to create and maintain their communications infrastructure. The PHIG National Partners continue to support recipients seeking technical assistance to strengthen this foundational capability through the PHIVE portal.

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This work was supported by funds made available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), National Center for STLT Public Health Infrastructure and Workforce, through OE22-2203: Strengthening U.S. Public Health Infrastructure, Workforce, and Data Systems grant. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government.