This July-August issue of the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice (9:4) focuses on chronic disease epidemiology. Patrick Remington has done an excellent job in assembling a series of articles on this important topic. This series provides both an overview of the field, details the necessary competencies, and provides specific examples.

The issue leads off with an editorial from Kathleen Toomey highlighting the increasing prominence of the prevention of chronic disease on the agenda of public health agencies. Frey et al. provide an evaluation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Chronic Disease State-Based Epidemiology for Public Health Program Support (STEPPS). Kreitner et al. emphasize the training required to instill competencies in chronic disease epidemiology. These competencies with recommendations about mentorship are provided by Lengerich et al.

In addition to the national initiatives, this issue contains examples of successful state and local programs in chronic disease epidemiology. Powell et al. of the Georgia Department of Human Resources and Kemple et al. of the Oregon Department of Human Resources have described arthritis surveillance and monitoring diabetes care using administrative and Medicaid data, respectively. Kouroukian has examined the effectiveness of Medicaid in breast and cervical cancer prevention. At the local level, Cibula and Morrow describe a randomized telephone survey that determined colorectal cancer screening utilization patterns.

The last two articles examine specific issues regarding prenatal care and adolescent health measures. Webb and associates report on the discrepancy between self-reported smoking status and cotinine levels among women enrolled in publicly funded prenatal care clinical sites. McNulty examines how state public health agencies report using Title V Maternal and Child Health Block Grant funds to improve adolescents' health.

I am most pleased to inform readers of JPHMP that as we enter our tenth year of publication, we have a new publisher. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, a large and respected publishing company, acquired the Journal in the Fall of 2002 to publish the January-February 2003 issue. Improvements are planned, including a new and more readable format that started with our May-June issue on Public Health Systems Research. Exciting issues are ahead. The next issue is on Bioterrorism Preparedness (September-October) and the November-December issue focuses on the Public Health Workforce. We are also planning an issue about Putting Prevention into Practice in early 2004.