The National Epidemic of Gun Violence: The Vermont Department of Health Response.

This case study details a 2018 "near miss" school mass-shooting event in Vermont that involved a former student and occurred contemporaneously with the Parkland, Florida, tragedy. The situation "jolted" this rural state's governor, lending urgency to the need to enact sensible gun control laws. He comes to support a series of proactive bills already in the legislature and advocate for further preventive strategies.

Developing Safe Syringe Exchange Programs: Role of the North Carolina Division of Public Health.

Syringe exchange programs became legal in North Carolina on July 11, 2016. A combination of forces led to this progressive public health measure, including advocacy of the State Health Official, in a state characterized by a conservative political climate. Data collected by the division of public health were a key contributor to the initiative.

Local Transmission of Zika Virus in Miami-Dade County: The Florida Department of Health Rises to the Challenge.

As early as 2015, Florida and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) public health officials recognized the potential danger of Zika for US residents and visitors. The Zika virus, a mosquito-borne flavivirus, is transmitted through the bite of the Aedes aegypti mosquito. A physician in Miami-Dade notified the Florida Department of Health (DOH) of the first non-travel-related Zika case in the United States.