Fifteen state governors and Guam announced earlier this month the formation of the Governors Public Health Alliance (GPHA), a bipartisan effort to bolster coordination on disease monitoring, vaccine policy and public health emergencies.
With seasonal illnesses on the rise and global gatherings such as the 2028 Olympics expected to heighten health risks, officials say states must strengthen readiness now. The alliance will serve as a platform for governors and public health leaders to share data, exchange best practices and coordinate on issues such as emergency response, vaccine policy and other technical health matters.
Participating members include Colorado, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington and Guam. The group represents more than one-third of the U.S. population.
The GPHA is a nonpartisan initiative supported by GovAct that helps governors share expertise and coordinate across state lines. Guided by leading public health experts and GovAct’s bipartisan advisory board of former governors and senior federal officials, the alliance will work to align messaging on emerging health threats, facilitate secure cross-border data sharing and address technical and regulatory issues such as vaccine policy.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, one of the alliance’s founding members, described the effort as a way to strengthen public health collaboration and innovation while reducing states’ reliance on federal resources. Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer and Hawaii Gov. Josh Green emphasized that health threats extend beyond state lines and require a unified response. Other governors cited uncertainty at the federal level as another reason for greater state-to-state coordination.
Other regions are forming their own public health partnerships. Seven northeastern states recently launched the Northeast Public Health Collaborative, while three western states created the West Coast Health Alliance. Each shares similar goals: improving preparedness, ensuring consistent messaging and enabling faster, coordinated responses across borders.
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