Who the Health Cares? Season 3 episode 1
Former CDC Director Mandy Cohen on the politics of public health
Welcome to season three of Who the Health Cares from the Center for Public Health Implementation at Columbia University. In this episode, Former CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen joins Professor Sparer to reflect on how the public health, healthcare, and social services sectors can work together more effectively. They explore lessons from Cohen's time leading the CDC and North Carolina's Health and Human Services agency, discuss the role of politics in public health policymaking, and consider how public health leaders can make a stronger case for their work.
America has 3,300 state and local health departments. They respond to disease outbreaks, ensure restaurants meet food safety standards, and more generally work to preserve, protect, and promote the health of their community. Yet their work remains invisible, their budgets perpetually squeezed, and their authority questioned.
"Who the Health Cares?" with host Michael Sparer, explores how the United States built this public health system, why it struggles for resources and trust, and what it would take to strengthen it. We examine the path from political debate to policy enactment to program implementation.
Understanding public health is about understanding the systems that protect us all.
Listen to the episode now on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Find transcripts and past episodes at WhotheHealthCares.com.