The countdown to the 2026 Governmental Public Health Summit is on, and we’re excited to share a first look at what’s waiting for you at the Lake!

When dignity is at the center of that work, communities are more likely to trust public health professionals, participate in programs, and work with us to improve health outcomes.

There are just two weeks left to take advantage of Early Bird Registration for the 2026 Governmental Public Health Summit (GPHS). Register by September 30 to secure your spot before registration increases on October 1. 

Governmental public health matters because healthy communities don’t happen by accident. Behind them are people doing work that is often quiet, often unseen, and absolutely essential.

Working with five rural counties over the past year has reshaped the way I understand community care.

On May 5, I had the opportunity to attend and support Madison County Health Department’s Tearing Down the Walls of Stigma event

Throughout the month of April, we are proud to highlight the “Faces of Public Health.” A collection of stories that celebrate the professionals, partners, and leaders who make this work possible across Missouri.

We’re proud to share that Allie Bodin, Health Data Analytics and Informatics Manager at the Institute, has been named a Rising Star Award recipient, an honor that recognizes emerging leaders making an early and lasting impact in the field. In addition, the Institute was selected for the Network Member Impact Award for Missouri’s Syphilis Elimination Plan, a statewide effort led by Allie that brought together partners across the public health system to take coordinated action.

Throughout the month of April, we are proud to highlight the “Faces of Public Health.” A collection of stories that celebrate the professionals, partners, and leaders who make this work possible across Missouri.

Throughout the month of April, we are proud to highlight the “Faces of Public Health.” A collection of stories that celebrate the professionals, partners, and leaders who make this work possible across Missouri.

Throughout the month of April, we are proud to highlight the “Faces of Public Health.” A collection of stories that celebrate the professionals, partners, and leaders who make this work possible across Missouri.

Throughout the month of April, we are proud to highlight the “Faces of Public Health.” A collection of stories that celebrate the professionals, partners, and leaders who make this work possible across Missouri.

Throughout the month of April, we are proud to highlight the “Faces of Public Health.” A collection of stories that celebrate the professionals, partners, and leaders who make this work possible across Missouri.

Public health is powered by people. By the individuals who show up every day to serve their communities, often without recognition, but always with purpose.

Jacob Hollstrom, Special Projects Coordinator at the Institute, has shared their perspective on one of the Institute’s key legislative priorities for the 2026 session. The reflections below highlight why these issues matter and how thoughtful policy can support stronger public health systems for communities across Missouri.

Kelly McGowan, Policy and Membership Engagement Manager at the Institute, has shared their perspective on one of the Institute’s key legislative priorities for the 2026 session. The reflections below highlight why these issues matter and how thoughtful policy can support stronger public health systems for communities across Missouri.

When local public health leaders gathered at the Missouri State Capitol for Capitol Day, they represented communities of all sizes, from large metropolitan areas to small rural counties where public health departments often operate with limited staff and resources.

This week, local public health leaders from across Missouri gathered at the State Capitol to share the stories of the communities they serve and strengthen connections with the policymakers who represent them.

The Webster County Health Unit has officially become a local “Front Door” site for Community Partnership of the Ozarks’ One Door program.

When you work in public service, the mission is clear — serve your community well. What’s less clear is where you’re supposed to learn everything else that makes that work possible. 

We are excited to introduce the Training Line of Service — a new, adaptive approach to expanding public health learning opportunities for professionals across the state.

At the Missouri Public Health Institute, our mission grounds us in what we do and why we do it. But our vision keeps our eyes on the future.

Our mission is simple but ambitious: We advance Missouri’s public health system by building capacity, strengthening infrastructure, and fostering statewide public health system collaboration.

The Missouri Public Health Institute is proud to share our 2026–2028 Strategic Plan

Congratulations to all of the 2025 award recipients!

Liz's journey from LPHA administrator and MOCPHE member to Institute team member offers a unique perspective on what it means to both lead in the field and support others from the institute level.

Congenital syphilis is a growing public health challenge in Missouri, with 2023 marking the highest number of cases in decades.

This two-day gathering is designed to strengthen our state’s public health infrastructure through shared learning, meaningful connections, and forward-thinking strategy.

We are thrilled to celebrate Kelly McGowan for being recognized with an award honoring her leadership and commitment to community health.

We’re thrilled to share that our Chief Operating Officer, Sarah Crosley, has been named to the Fall 2025 class of Emerging Leaders by FOCUS St. Louis.

When a highly suspected case of measles was reported by a provider at a local hospital in Taney County, the clock started ticking. Measles is one of the most contagious viruses known, and without a swift and coordinated response, a single case can quickly escalate into a full-blown outbreak. Thanks to strong partnerships, careful preparation, […]

At the Missouri Public Health Institute, we believe in the power of mentorship to shape the future of public health.

We’re proud to share that Sarah Crosley, MOPHI’s Chief Operating Officer, has been appointed to the Community Advisory Board of Washington University’s Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences and the Institute for Public Health.

The Missouri Public Health Institute has officially been named a full Category A Member of the National Network of Public Health Institutes!

To better understand how Missourians feel about public health, we recently conducted the Missouri Public Health Trust Poll—and the results are both encouraging and insightful.

Facilitating the Public Health Nursing Collaborative (PHNC) has been a fun and unique experience for the Institute's Taylor Anderson to navigate.

Xandy Harker has been leading a Missouri Institute for Community Health (MICH) Learning Collaborative.

Missouri Public Health Institute's Taylor Anderson has been hard at work with Webster County Health Unit.

Special Projects Coordinator Xandy Harker is leading a grant funded by MFH to support four rural counties in Missouri.

The Missouri Center for Public Health Excellence helped the Jefferson County Health Department develop a substance use dashboard for Jefferson County, Missouri. To start, Allie Bodin, MPH, CPH, Health Data Analytics and Informatics Manager at MOCPHE, created a project plan and dashboard to track project progress.

The Data Learning Collaborative of the Missouri Center for Public Health Excellence issued a public comment in December on proposed changes to data collection of disability status by U.S. Census Bureau.

The Missouri Center for Public Health Excellence has helped the Jefferson County Health Department to evaluate how its mobile clinics can best address health disparities and reach vulnerable populations within the program’s service area.

Program Manager Leah Moser is working on a grant funded by MFH to support four rural counties in Missouri. The goal of this initiative is to divert individuals facing behavioral health crises away from incarceration and towards proper care and support.

These trainings explored the prevalence and impact of trauma on brain development, focusing on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and their long-term effects on social and emotional health outcomes.

Melissa Comstock attended DHSS’s State Health Assessment (SHA) listening session hosted in Kirksville. During this event, the state’s facilitator shared critical information about the current health status of different Missouri communities.

This training covered essential knowledge and skills for early-career prevention professionals in the field of substance use prevention.

MOCPHE board members, leadership, and partners attended the annual National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI) conference in D.C. where we were able to engage with other PHIs across the country, learn about their role in addressing public health needs in the state, and how they collaborated with each other!

MOCPHE board members, leadership, staff, and partners were able to travel to Topeka, KS to meet with the Kansas Health Institute (KHI) for our first site visit!

Allie Bodin was able to attend a regional conference of the Mobile Healthcare Association hosted in St. Louis! She shared a presentation focused on her work with Jefferson County and their work to provide data-driven, placed-based care through their mobile medical unit.

Allie and the team from the Jefferson County Health Department working on their opioid surveillance dashboard were able to travel to D.C. to meet with NACCHO and others doing similar work.

This event Leah attended brought together representatives from behavioral health, law enforcement, public health, and community care to exchange information on ongoing efforts and strategize future opportunities for enhancing support to individuals facing mental health and substance use emergencies.

MOCPHE was privileged to serve as an organizer and presenter at the Joint Public Health Conference in October. MOCPHE was joined by the state Department of Health and Senior Services, the Missouri Public Health Association, the Missouri Association of Local Public Health Agencies and the Missouri Institute for Community Health.