Like many of you, I was heartbroken to hear about the horrific events at the CDC headquarters and deeply saddened by the tragic loss of DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose. NACDD extends our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.

CDC is more than just our partner in public health—it’s a community of people we know, work alongside, and care deeply about. I know many of you have personal connections there, and you may be feeling shaken by what happened.

Public health work can be challenging even in the best of circumstances, but moments like this remind us how important it is to lean on each other, build bridges, and hold tight to the mission that brought us here. The work of protecting communities often happens quietly, but it is rooted in deep care and unwavering dedication—values that violence and hatred cannot diminish.

We will keep showing up for one another—with compassion, courage, and hope.

It’s in times like these that good news feels especially meaningful. We’re grateful to announce that funding has been confirmed for four continuing projects—school health, tobacco cessation, diabetes prevention, and a $9 million award to support Year Two PHIC initiatives—helping us continue to make an impact where it’s needed most.

These include critical areas such as surveillance, brain health, workforce development, and the continuation of the Walkability Action Institute (WAI), which is celebrating more than a decade of impact.

As we await the full release of our FY26 funding, some of our staff and consultants have temporarily paused their work. We know many of you are facing similar challenges, and like you, we are making hard choices to continue serving with purpose. Through this, our commitment to supporting our Members remains unchanged. If you encounter any difficulties accessing NACDD resources, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

I also encourage you to join us for the 2025 Virtual Chronic Disease Academy, September 9–11. This dynamic three-day event will include sessions focused on innovation, collaboration, and emerging strategies in chronic disease prevention, along with poster presentations and opportunities to connect with peers across the country. We’ll close the event with our Annual Business Meeting, where we’ll celebrate the 2025 Impact Award winners, recognize our certificate program graduates, and welcome our incoming Board Members. Registration is free for all State Health Department staff, so be sure to reserve your spot. More details are coming soon.

Let’s continue to take care of ourselves, support each other, and hold fast to the belief that what we do matters—because it truly does.

With care and solidarity,

Jeanne

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PHIC Funded Projects:

• Creating Publicly-Accessible Chronic Disease Prevalence Estimates from the MENDS Network
• Development, Implementation and Evaluation of an Evidence-based Brain Health Approach
• Enhancing the Multi-State Electronic Health Record-Based Network for Disease Surveillance
• Equipping Community Health Workers in Rural Areas to Address Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias
• GIS Capacity Building for Chronic Disease among Health Department Staff
• Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Assistance to State Health Departments
• Integrating Brain Health Messaging in Chronic Disease Programs and Facilitating Collaboration Among BOLD Public Health Programs
• Million Hearts: Preventing Heart Attacks and Strokes with Chronic Disease Directors 
• Supporting the Growth of Walkability Action Institutes Across the Country
• NACDD_Category A_Initial Workplan