Network Report

Thursday, April 20, 2023

The 2023 Public Health Law Conference offers 40 concurrent sessions in five tracks that address core issues related to structural inequities and health equity, access to reproductive health care, the use of public health data to improve community health, the role of law in facilitating system change, and emerging issues. View session descriptions and register.  

Law & Policy Insights

State Laws Banning Transgender Students’ Participation in Sports Harm Health and Wellbeing 

Laws banning or heavily restricting students who are transgender from playing on athletic teams with students of the same gender are increasing, as are challenges to such laws. Human rights advocates are closely watching as one case, B.P.J. v. West Virginia, proceeds through the courts. The case’s outcome may influence the course of similar legal challenges across the country.

A Renewed Focus on Health Equity in Wayne County, Michigan 

Wayne County Michigan, which encompasses the City of Detroit, has a large population of residents of color and also faces some of the state’s most significant challenges. Recently, the county has taken significant measures to address acknowledged disparities in health outcomes, creating Regional Health Equity Advisory Councils, a Black Leadership Council, and committing $300 million to support more than 100 programs to further positive, systemic change.

Lawmakers to Decide whether Washington State Continues its Health-Centered Approach in Decriminalizing Drug Possession

In May 2021, Washington state passed a law that, among other changes, re-classified drug possession from a felony to a misdemeanor and required law enforcement officers to refer individuals to treatment at least twice before making an arrest. The law, which expires on July 1, 2023, also created the Substance Use Recovery Services Advisory Committee (SURSAC) to research best practices, create a statewide plan, and advise state lawmakers. Lawmakers are now considering whether to implement SURSAC’s 17 recommendations.

Resources

Evidence for Fentanyl Test Strips

A low-cost, high-impact harm reduction strategy for reducing the risk of overdose due to fentanyl contamination comes in the form of fentanyl test strips (“FTS”). At the price of approximately one dollar per disposable strip, FTS can detect the presence of fentanyl and many fentanyl analogs in drug samples dissolved in water. This fact sheet briefly discusses the emerging evidence that supports the broad distribution of FTS as one tool to reduce fentanyl-related harm.

Creative Strategies to Mitigate Extreme Heat: Miami-Dade County’s Chief Heat Officer and Phoenix’s Office of Heat Mitigation and Response

Extreme heat poses a serious threat to community health and is the top cause of fatalities for all weather events in the United States. Extreme heat events are also occurring more frequently; impacting the health and well-being of communities in regions that have long dealt with heat and regions that have not typically experienced such weather events. This resource provides an overview of the activities of the Heat Officers to assist other jurisdictions who may be considering implementing similar initiatives.

Job Opportunities

Senior Program Coordinator

The Network’s National office is seeking a Senior Program Coordinator to support our Executive Director in key initiatives and administrative activities. This role requires excellent communications skills, planning, problem-solving aptitude, time management, nuanced relationship navigation, attention to detail, and the ability to meet deadlines while juggling multiple requests. This is a hybrid position, based in the D.C. metro area. View the job description and apply.

Worth Sharing

Informed Consent for Opioid Prescribing Laws

To mitigate the risks associated with prescription opioid use, most states have implemented laws requiring clinicians to obtain informed consent prior to prescribing opioids in at least some circumstances. This dataset from the Center for Public Health Law Research presents the key features of state statutes and regulations related to informed consent for opioid prescribing in effect between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2019.   

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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.

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