Network Report

Thursday, October 20, 2022

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time to remind people of the prevalence of breast cancer, which will impact one in eight U.S. women—a growing number of which are women of color and women under 50 years of age. These realties call for policies that prevent exposure to chemicals linked to increased risk, while simultaneously continuing to support low-cost and convenient early detection methods and life-saving treatment that can address the current racial disparities in relative survival rates and identify breast cancer at earlier, more treatable stages. 

Law & Policy Insights

What You May Not Know About HIPAA’s Right of Access

Many state and local public health departments are covered entities under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and must provide individuals with access to their protected health information. However, covered entities that are unfamiliar with a key provision of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, and its implications for the use of written authorizations to release protected health information to a third party, may be in jeopardy of violating the right of access.

Legal and Ethical Implications of Increased Rates of Sterilizations Post-Dobbs

In response to the U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning the constitutional right to abortion, women and men in the U.S. are increasingly exploring sterilization options. With other, non-permanent and effective birth control options available, this begs the question: why are those living in the U.S. increasingly choosing such drastic interventions? Among the many reasons are the emerging legal threats to accessing reproductive services in many states coupled with inferences that the Supreme Court may be willing to re-evaluate constitutional rights to contraception post-Dobbs. 

Resources

Law and Policy Pathways to Equity in Birth Outcomes

Every year, nearly four million women give birth in the United States. While most of these births are without significant complications, nearly 50,000 women a year suffer life-threatening pregnancy and birth complications, and more than 700 women die. There are significant disparities in maternal morbidity and mortality, with higher rates among Black and American Indian/Alaska Native women. This guide provides an at-a-glance overview of key law and policy measures that can help alleviate these disparities and assure that conditions for optimal birth outcomes are present for all.

Meeting the Promise of Racial Health Equity By Reducing Police Intervention in Suicide Prevention Activities: Law and Policy Solutions

This resource assesses suicide risk among communities of color and demonstrates why the demands of racial health equity require taking the problem of police violence seriously and creating systems that reduce contact with police. It also identifies opportunities for limiting the role of law enforcement in suicide prevention and law and policy pathways for how commitments set forth in declarations of racism as a public health crisis can be put into action.

Worth Sharing

The Network at the 2022 APHA Annual Meeting & Expo

November 6-9, 2022

Visit the Network booth at the 2022 APHA Annual Meeting to learn about our latest resources and Act for Public Health, an initiative with our partner organizations that provides direct assistance to departments of health in navigating proposed and passed legislation limiting their ability to protect the communities they serve. 

Network attorneys presenting at APHA include:

• Mathew Swinburne, “Adult-use Cannabis Social Equity Toolkit" – “(De)Criminalization and Health Equity” session – November 7
• Kerri Lowrey, “Variation of State Driver Licensing Laws, Regulations, and Practices: Why Uniformity Matters" – “Injury Control and Emergency Health Services" session- November 8
• Jill Krueger, “Trends in State Legislation to Limit or Strengthen Public Health Authority in 2021 and 2022" – “Acting for Public Health: Tracking Attempts to Erode Public Health Authority in the United States" session- November 9
• Denise Chrysler, "Navigating Law to Establish an Environmental Exposure Registry: Lessons From The Flint Registry” – “Water Quality” session – November 9

• Dawn Hunter, "Collaborative for Anti-Racism and Equity Workshop" -Roundtable session – November 8

The Network at the All In National Meeting (AINM)

October 25-26, 2022

The 2022 virtual All In National Meeting (AINM) will feature organizations working on multi-sector data-sharing projects in their communities and their broad range of real-world experiences working across sectors. Sessions will highlight successful efforts to promote health and well-being through a lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Network attorneys, Denise Chrysler, Stephen Murphy, and Chris Alibrandi O’Connor, will be presenting at the following sessions along with other speakers:

• Health Equity: Tribal Access to Tribal Health Data, Tuesday, October 25, 3:15-4:15 
• Getting from the Data Sharing Land of No onto “Pathways to Yes”, Wednesday, October 26, 1:15-2:15 
• Establishing a Community-Based Environmental Exposure Registry: Operational and Legal Lessons from the Flint, Michigan water crisis, Wednesday, October 26, 1:15-2:15 

Job Opportunities

Senior Attorney, Reproductive Health

The Network is seeking a Public Health Senior Attorney to lead and coordinate our expanding work in reproductive health, coordinating work across the Network’s five Region Offices. This position will track and assess laws, provide legal technical assistance, conduct training, develop tools and educational materials, and facilitate opportunities for networking and peer assistance. The successful candidate will have excellent legal research, writing, and public speaking skills, excellent organizational skills, a demonstrated commitment to health equity and social justice, and the ability to create and maintain partnerships and collaborative relationships with a wide variety of individuals and communities. View the full description and apply here.

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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.