Susan Fleurant

Immigration status is a social determinant of health and the structural factor with the most direct impact on the health outcomes of immigrants is access to health care. Refugee, immigrant, and migrant communities in the United States, on average, have lower rates of health insurance, face increased barriers to care, and receive lower quality of care than U.S.-born populations. However, there are actions that states can take through federal programs, but also outside of federally funded programs, to improve access to care.

by Overview Tuesday, February 11, 2025 | 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. CTThe Network is excited to offer RHE CFA Cohort Participants a…

The Network’s Privacy Officer Peer Group convenes privacy officers from public health agencies to provide peer support and share resources. Each year, the Network hosts quarterly Peer Group Learning Sessions on topics relevant to the work of privacy officers in public health. The four sessions held in 2024 addressed a range of issues relevant to privacy officers and provided opportunities for group discussion.

Entities covered by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act are often targets of cybersecurity attacks. The Department of Health and Human Services  Office for Civil Rights reported that from 2019 to 2023, breach reports affecting over 500 individuals involving hacking have increased by 89 percent and those involving ransomware have increased 102 percent. In February 2024, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released a comprehensive cybersecurity resource guide on implementing the Security Rule along with a list of cybersecurity resources for HIPAA-regulated entities.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights issued a Final Rule, effective June 25, 2024, to strengthen privacy protections under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) for protected health information (PHI) related to reproductive health care of an individual. This resource highlights the changes outlined in the rule and the considerations for health departments.

In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, Network attorneys and staff have identified six key policies with the potential to significantly improve mental health outcomes across the United States. This policy brief covers a wide range of areas focused on communities and those who work to support communities. It is designed as a practical resource for public health professionals, leaders, and partners, offering strategies to enhance mental health and well-being while reducing disparities in mental health care.

This Micro-Toolkit is a simple, accessible framework that will guide you through six steps to assess potential equity implications for a new or existing policy and help you identify opportunities for improvement and for continued assessment.

This legal technical assistance resource addresses two questions with regard to nuisance abatement in Missouri: whether a third-class county in Missouri has legal authority to adopt a nuisance abatement ordinance, and examples of nuisance abatement ordinances in Missouri.

This legal technical assistance resource addresses two questions with regard to nuisance abatement in Missouri: whether a third-class county in Missouri has legal authority to adopt a nuisance abatement ordinance, and examples of nuisance abatement ordinances in Missouri.

This legal technical assistance resource outlines the legal considerations involved when a local public health agency wants to develop a resource or service sharing agreement with another jurisdiction.

This legal technical assistance resource addresses two questions related to harm reduction in Missouri, including use of opioid settlement funds and Missouri drug paraphernalia laws and syringe service programs.

Missouri’s 115 local public health agencies (LPHAs) provide key public health functions to Missouri residents, including assessing local health needs and risks; developing policies and planning programs to improve health; and enforcing public health laws and promoting equitable access to basic health care. Like all local health departments across the country, Missouri’s LPHAs rely on state-specific legal authority granted via the state constitution, statutes, and regulations to perform these functions. Access to state-specific legal information is essential for LPHAs to fulfill their responsibilities efficiently and effectively. The Network for Public Health Law partnered with the Missouri Center for Public Health Excellence to provide the training, legal technical assistance, and resources listed here to support Missouri’s local public health agencies.