The Public Health: State Departments of Aging

State-operated Departments' of Aging are tasked with promoting the independence and well-being of older adults and their family members who are involved with vital senior caregiving roles.  In most states, these agencies also serve adults with disabilities and their families, too.  Departments of Aging carry out their mission by creating access for seniors and disabled adults to information and services, building opportunities for community involvement, and supporting family members providing care to seniors and disabled adults.  These Aging agencies also collaborate with many other State and local agencies (and other entities) on matters of import to seniors and adults with disabilities, including transportation, housing and accessibility, emergency preparedness, health and wellness, diet and nutrition, fall and injury prevention, fraud and abuse of the elderly, and many other issues.  Find the Department of Aging in your state by using our convenient resource page.

State Agencies on Aging | Health Guide USA

The National Library of Medicine, our trusted link for July 2020

Using the Resources of the National Library of Medicine

Part of the National Institutes of Health, the National Library of Medicine is the world's largest library for medical and biological information. Started in 1836 as a small collection of journals and books in the U.S. Army Surgeon General's office, it is now housed in two buildings in Bethesda, MD. The heart of the collection is NOT in the buildings, but in its massive free online databases. The mission of NLM is to make as much biomedical data as widely available as possible in order to drive better health outcomes. 

NLM resources are separately designed to serve the needs of medical professionals, researchers, product developers, librarians, educators and the general public. 

• Healthcare researchers use PubMed to access the MEDLINE database of citations from the world's biomedical journals.
• Healthcare professionals can find drug information in DailyMed, sign up for Clinical Alerts and Advisories, and access dozens of databases on genetics, viruses, and clinical trials.
  
• Product developers are supported by the National Center for Biotechnology Information.
• Educators will find resources for teaching history and science, including environmental health.
• For the public, NLM created MedlinePlus, transferring much of their technical knowledge into everyday terms. The public is also encouraged to use information portals for clinical trials, toxic chemicals, and genetics. 

The Library also provides grants in biomedical informatics, data science, and public health, as well as support for educational institutions. 

You can keep up with the Library by subscribing to

• NLM Announcements
• NLM Technical Bulletin
• PubMed New & Noteworthy
• Circulating Now, an online magazine that taps their historical records in light of current events. 

Check out the latest news from NLM

The Public Health: State Immunization Programs

Every state and the District of Columbia operate an immunization program.  The mission of these state-operated immunization programs is to mitigate disease, disability, and death caused by vaccine-preventable diseases in infants, children, adolescents, and adults.  According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), there are more than a dozen dangerous or deadly diseases whose threat to the public can be mitigated through vaccines.  These state-operated programs accomplish their mission through surveillance, case investigation and control, the monitoring of immunization levels in their communities, the provision of vaccines to the public, and the education of healthcare professionals and the general public about the threat posed by vaccine-preventable diseases.  To find state-operated immunization programs, check out our resource page:

State Immunization Programs | Health Guide USA

Protecting the Public: State Medical Boards

Physicians and surgeons must be licensed in the states in which they practice.  In most states, regulatory oversight is provided by a State Medical Board or the equivalent.  These regulatory bodies are responsible for protecting the health and safety of the public by determining licensure qualifications for new physicians and surgeons, establishing standards for practitioners to follow in order to maintain their license in good standing, and disciplining licensees who do not adhere to those requirements. In addition to physicians and surgeons, in a number of states the Medical Board, or its equivalent, provide regulatory oversight of physician assistants and various other types of healthcare professions.  To find the Medical Boards, or the equivalent, that oversees physician and surgeon practitioners in each state. visit our resource guide:

State Medical Boards | Health Guide USA

Speech Language Pathologist License Lookup

Speech-language pathologists (sometimes known as speech therapists) are healthcare professionals involved in the assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of communication and swallowing disorders in children and adults. These disorders can result from a variety of causes, including stroke, brain injury, hearing loss, developmental delay, Parkinson’s disease, a cleft palate, or autism.  Licensing requirements for speech-language pathology practitioners vary from state to state. To find state-operated online tools that permit the public to confirm the license status of speech-language pathology practitioners, check out our resource page:

Health Guide USA Speech Language Pathologist License Lookup

Occupational Therapy License Lookup

Occupational therapists are healthcare professionals who treat injured, ill, or disabled patients through the therapeutic use of everyday activities. These therapies help patients develop, recover, improve, and maintain the skills they need for daily life and work. Most states require that occupational therapy practitioners be licensed to practice within their borders. Licensing requirements for occupational therapy practitioners vary from state to state. To find state-operated online tools that permit the public to confirm the license status of occupational therapists and other OT professionals, check out our resource page:

Health Guide USA Occupational Therapy License Lookup