Network Report Thursday, July 29, 2021 
Across the country, young people are mobilizing to create change and address issues impacting the health and welfare of their communities, including racial equity and justice, gun violence, environmental justice, education, and civic participation. In this session, some of these young leaders will speak to issues they deem most urgent among their peers and discuss what they envision for equity and justice — and inspire us with their commitment to improving conditions to support healthy, thriving communities for all. Learn more and register. 
New DEA Rule May Increase Access to Mobile Methadone Services The rate of opioid overdose in rural areas has continued to rise, spurred in part by lack of access to treatment for opioid use disorders in underserved communities. Citing a need to respond to an increased need for methadone treatment in remote and rural areas, populations at particular risk of opioid use disorder, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has issued a new rule allowing registered narcotic treatment program facilities to dispense methadone for opioid use disorder treatment through mobile units. 
Guidance: COVID-19 Vaccine and Employer Mandates Public and private employers across the U.S. are considering the potential for COVID-19 vaccine requirements for their workforces, especially among health care workers. This guidance addresses the question of whether public and private sector employers can generally mandate employee vaccination, and whether that answer changes based on the fact that current COVID-19 vaccines have received emergency use authorization, but have not been formally authorized by the FDA.
COVID-19 Vaccination: State Minor Consent Requirements Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine has been authorized for emergency use in minors between the ages of 16 and 18, and more recently, for minors between ages 12 and 15. As a result, minors across the country have been getting vaccinated, and accompanying questions have arisen regarding minor consent. This fact sheet provides a review of select state requirements, and additional information as available from certain state or local health departments.
COVID-19 Vaccination Mandates: Recent Court Cases This fact sheet covers reported or pending cases in the U.S. focused on COVID-19 vaccination mandates and will be updated periodically. Multiple additional cases are likely filed within lower courts currently which will lead to forthcoming decisions in the weeks ahead. 
2021 Public Health Law Conference Preview Webinar: Equitable COVID-19 Recovery TODAY: 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. ET While the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on public health policy remains to be seen, there is an immediate and critical need to implement equitable recovery measures in our communities and address health disparities exacerbated by the pandemic. The 2021 Public Health Law Conference will examine these measures and more in over 40 sessions. Attend this webinar to get a preview of some of the sessions, along with an overview of the key issues and policy frameworks to be considered as we move beyond the pandemic’s most immediate consequences. 
Invitation to Contribute to the Network Racial Equity Survey The Network is committed to working with our partners and constituents to identify laws, policies and actions that can advance equity and address the barriers to good health in our communities. We invite you to contribute to this growing body of work by completing a brief survey. Your responses will provide valuable insight into the interests and needs of people and organizations working to advance racial equity in the communities they serve. The survey is anonymous. No identifying information will be connected to your survey responses. We also invite you to join us for one of our virtual focus group sessions where we will have a deeper conversation about this topic. Take the survey. Sign up for a focus group session.
Conferences 2021 NALBOH Virtual Conference August 2-3, 2021 The Network is proud to be among the sponsors of the 2021 NALBOH Virtual Conference, which will provide an opportunity for those working on boards of health to identify strategies to improve health outcomes in their communities, identify best governance practices, and discuss common challenges, particularly with regard to COVID-19 recovery efforts.
Job Opportunities Public Health Legal Fellow, Network for Public Health Law The Network is hiring a Public Health Legal Fellow to work with the Mid-States Region Office, located at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Public Health Legal Fellow will focus on legal issues regarding public health authority, social determinants of health, health equity, and collecting, sharing, and protecting data for public health purposes. The goal is to provide a wide range of projects and opportunities that will build the Fellow’s knowledge of public health law and foster connections in the field. For best consideration, apply by August 31, 2021.
Postdoctoral Fellowship in Rehabilitation Policy Research The University of Washington, in partnership with Columbia University's Health and Aging Policy Fellows Program, has announced a two-year, postdoctoral fellowship for individuals with an interest in the intersection of aging, disability, and health policy research. The program is interdisciplinary, and invites applicants with a doctoral level degree (including PhD, PsyD, MD, JD, or equivalent), from any discipline with a policy component. Interested applicants are asked to contact Dr. Ivan Molton or Dr. Tracy Mroz for more information.
Worth Sharing In this webinar, hosted by the Consortium on Law and Values at the University of Minnesota, national experts debated the ethics and use of vaccine mandates while considering equity, public health and community trust. Speakers included Michael T. Osterholm, Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, University of Minnesota; Stephen B. Thomas, Center for Health Equity, University of Maryland and Lawrence O. Gostin, O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law, Georgetown University.
State Lawmakers Submit Bills to Ban COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates and Passports The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced that employers could require workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as long as they did not violate the Americans with Disabilities and the Civil Rights acts. The federal guidance has prompted lawmakers in a number of states to introduce legislation prohibiting businesses from requiring COVID-19 vaccinations as a condition of work. In addition, some legislatures have sought to prohibit requiring COVID-19 vaccines for attendance at schools. This resource from the National Academy for State Health Policy provides details on the status of individual states’ legislation to ban mandated vaccinations and vaccine passports.
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Thank you! Your interest in the work of the Network is important. Together, we can advance law as a tool to improve public health. Please forward the Network Report and encourage others to join the Network! The Network for Public Health Law provides information and technical assistance on issues related to public health. The legal information and assistance provided in this document does not constitute legal advice or legal representation. For legal advice, readers should consult a lawyer in their state.
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