| Network Report Thursday, January 12, 2023 |
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“It is with great excitement and gratitude that I write to you as the new National Director of the Network for Public Health Law. I come to the Network at a challenging time for public health, but I also see great opportunity in the coming years. The tools, resources and expertise the Network has to offer are deep and wide. We know that collectively, and with the right resources and tools, we can build the momentum for change. I hope the Network can be among your strongest collaborators and supporters.” Read more from Network National Director Vineeta Gupta.
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Managing Privacy Risks to Advance Health Equity through Dissemination of Disaggregated Data
Dissemination of data disaggregated by race and ethnicity is an important step in advancing health equity. However, the public dissemination of datasets that include race and ethnicity raises important legal considerations around privacy, primarily around re-identification. Re-identification refers to the ability to use data from a de-identified dataset to identify individuals. Modifications to the released data can reduce re-identification risks while maximizing the data’s utility.
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| Proactive Rental Inspection as a Tool for Enforcing Tenants’ Rights
Poor housing conditions can lead to infectious and chronic diseases, poor mental health, avoidable injuries, and long term physical and developmental problems for children. In most localities, rental properties are only inspected if a tenant files a complaint; but tenants rarely do so because of fear of retribution from their landlord or because they are unaware of their rights, or for other reasons. This fact sheet outlines how some localities have adopted proactive rental inspections to mitigate the power imbalance between tenants and landlords and avoid blighted properties in their neighborhoods.
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| Rent Escrow as a Tool for Enforcing Tenants’ Rights
For renters whose landlords fail to meet standards that ensure that their properties meet basic structural, health, and safety standards, a legal process called rent escrow can be utilized to compel landlords to bring their properties up to specified standards. Rent escrow allows a tenant to pay rent directly to the court instead of the landlord until a court-ordered inspection determines that the landlord has made the necessary repairs. This fact sheet outlines the use of rent escrow as a tool for addressing inadequate and unsafe housing.
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| Act for Public Health: Assessing Legislation and Litigation Impacting Public Health AuthorityJanuary 26, 2023 | 1 – 2:30 pm EST
As communities continue to grapple with infectious diseases, including COVID-19, more than half of U.S. states have passed legislation that will undermine public health now and in the future. Act for Public Health is a collaborative effort to protect the authority of public health agencies to protect their communities. Attend this webinar to learn about the work of Act for Public Health, including law and policy surveillance; tracking state legislation both limiting and strengthening public health authority and emergency response; and litigation challenging public health legal authority.
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| Call for Abstracts
Systems change to address the myriad determinants of health requires a diverse set of collaborators and an understanding of how to use laws and policies as tools to effect change. The 2023 Public Health Law Conference will examine strategies and interventions to dismantle structural barriers to equitable health outcomes. Abstracts are now open and are being accepted through February 6, 2023 – view the call for abstracts.
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Local Privacy Officer Peer Group
The Network is launching a Local Privacy Officer Peer Group that will provide support, resources, and learning opportunities to privacy officers at local public health agencies. Members will participate in quarterly trainings and will be included in a directory of local privacy officers. Members will also have the opportunity to interact with one another and connect directly to other local privacy officers around the country through the Peer Group’s listserv. Those interested in joining the group can sign up here. For more information, contact Network Senior Public Health Attorney Stephen Murphy
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Physicians and Hospitals Law Institute January 30-February 1, 2023
Network Southeastern Region Director Dawn Hunter will be among the speakers at the Physicians and Hospitals Law Institute. Her presentation will include a discussion of health equity in the health care provider setting; the laws and policies that shape health outcomes; health equity frameworks and implementation strategies for hospitals and physicians; and best practices and health system examples. |
Implications of the CMS Framework for Health Equity
In the American Health Law Association’s January 2023 issue of Health Law Connections magazine, Network Southeastern Region Director Dawn Hunter wrote about the implications of the CMS Framework for Health Equity 2022-2032. The Framework is responsive to Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. Dawn reflects on how the framework addresses health equity issues in various contexts. Learn more here.
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Anti-Racism and Health: Tools for Confronting Racism Denial Monday, 16 January 2023 | 7pm GMT / 2pm EST / 11am PST | In-person and live-streamed In this lecture, Camara Phyllis Jones, family physician, epidemiologist and past president of the American Public Health Association will share several of her allegories on “race” and racism to equip attendees to understand and communicate four key messages: • Racism exists • Racism is a system • Racism saps the strength of the whole society • We can act to dismantle racism
This lecture is part of a series on Anti-racism and Health, funded by the Leverhulme Trust Visiting Professorship grant. It follows on from the first Anti-racism and Health lecture: Levels of Health Intervention, which you can watch a recording of here. Learn more and register here.
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Senior Staff Attorney, Staff Attorney, Network for Public Health Law Mid-States Region Office
The Network is seeking two Public Health Staff Attorneys to work with its Mid-States Region. These are remote positions. The Staff Attorneys will provide legal technical assistance, conduct training, develop tools and educational materials, and facilitate opportunities for networking and peer assistance on a wide variety of public health law topics. The positions will focus on two key areas: 1) legal issues regarding collecting, sharing, and protecting data for public health purposes, including addressing determinants of health and promoting racial and health equity, and 2) legal issues regarding public health authority. For best consideration, please apply by 1/27/2023. View the full descriptions and apply here.
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Public Health Law Clerk, Health Equity & Social Justice
The Network is seeking Public Health Law Clerks to work with its Health and Racial Equity program. Clerks will assist attorneys with providing legal technical assistance and developing tools and educational materials on public health law topics. The Network will provide a wide range of projects and opportunities that will build Law Clerks’ knowledge of public health law and foster connections in the field. Rising 2L and 3L students with a strong interest in public health law are encouraged to apply. The start date is flexible, but the preference is to have the Law Clerks start work in late May with an expected commitment of 8-10 weeks of full-time work. All work will be completed remotely. View the job description and apply.
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Public Health Law Clerk, Mid-States Office
The Network is seeking Public Health Law Clerks to work with its Mid-States Region Office. The Law Clerk 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 Network will provide a wide range of projects and opportunities that will build Law Clerks’ knowledge of public health law and foster connections in the field. Rising 2L and 3L students with a strong interest in public health law are encouraged to apply. The start date is flexible, but the preference is to have the Law Clerks start work in late May with an expected commitment of 8-10 weeks of full-time work. All work will be completed remotely. View the job description and apply.
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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! |
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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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