Forecasting, modeling, and outbreak analytics use data, epidemiologic methods, and computational tools to describe and anticipate how diseases may spread, estimate the potential impact of public health threats, and evaluate possible response strategies. These approaches transform surveillance and laboratory data into actionable insights that help public health agencies detect emerging trends, understand transmission dynamics, estimate disease burden, and support timely, evidence-informed public health decision-making. These tools enable state, Tribal, local, and territorial health agencies to allocate resources effectively, communicate risk, evaluate interventions, and improve preparedness for both routine and emerging public health threats.

CFA’s efforts complement a broader landscape of forecasting and analytics activities taking place across CDC programs, other federal agencies, academic institutions, healthcare organizations, and health departments. As health departments continue to modernize data systems and expand analytical capacity, forecasting, modeling, and outbreak analytics are becoming integral to routine public health practice and these stories describe and celebrate the success of health departments in advancing this work and the use of these tools in public health practice to support faster detection of emerging threats, informed decision-making, and effective responses to protect community health.