News & Insights

What legal authority exists to protect workers from extreme heat? In July 2024, the Network for Public Health Law released Law and Policy Considerations for Workforce Protections from Extreme Heat. The guide provides a foundation for public agencies, advocates, and coalitions seeking to design or strengthen worker-heat protections and exemplifies how public health law can operationalize equity in the face of environmental change, ensuring that those most exposed to harm are also the first protected by law.

In 2024, the Network for Public Health Law partnered with an academic expert serving as a representative on a governmental committee in a southern jurisdiction. By combining legal technical assistance, policy analysis, and subject-matter expertise, the Network directly informed policy leaders on matters of race equity, justice reform, and social determinants of health. The project demonstrates how law can serve to protect rights and build fairer systems.

As part of this project, the Network provided technical assistance and legal analysis, reviewed proposed changes to regulations, and produced an issue brief, Creating an Equitable Landscape for Lactation Consultant Licensure in Rhode Island. This brief became a key advocacy tool for the legislation and has since informed similar policy discussions in other states, including Utah.

Whether as data-use facilitator, gatekeeper, trust builder, or steward, the privacy officer plays a key role in effective data governance that safeguards the privacy of community members, while promoting the effective use of public health data to reduce disparities and dismantle racist systems.

Overview Donald Trump signed 230 executive orders (EOs) by the end of his first year, a good number of which impacted critical areas…

Overview States burdened with the costs of mitigating and responding to the effects of climate change have looked to a decades old federal…

Overview Drug checking services have been shown to reduce the risk of overdose by providing people with information on what is in drugs…

As we find ourselves in the wake of another election and having seen the outpouring of supportive messages from so many of our public health and community partners, we're reminded once again of the strength of our collective commitment to efforts that improve the well-being of individuals, families, and communities across the country. How we navigate the post-election landscape will have a lasting impact on democracy, the social determinants of health, and public health authority. 

HDUs can provide health departments critical information to respond proactively to emergencies, public health risks, and equity focused use cases. They also address many contemporary concerns around data sharing, such as transparency around governance and ensuring the access and use of data serves the public good.

HDUs can provide health departments critical information to respond proactively to emergencies, public health risks, and equity focused use cases. They also address many contemporary concerns around data sharing, such as transparency around governance and ensuring the access and use of data serves the public good.

Building on a Year of Challenge: Public Health in 2026 Dear Colleagues and Friends,  As we begin 2026, I want to wish you a happy New…

Many states have recently introduced parental rights legislation in response to a perceived lack of parental authority in educational settings. Largely driven by politics, these laws are not created with implementation in mind, causing confusion and compromising the care provided by school nurses, which is essential healthcare for many school-aged children.