Network Report Thursday, January 27, 2022 
Following the development and authorization of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, the Biden administration enacted a series of vaccine mandates in 2021. In this webinar, attendees will learn about the current legal status of federal vaccine mandates, judicial trends underlying changing attitudes and approaches, and future vaccine mandates. Learn more and register. 
Student Loan Debt is Creating a Physical and Mental Health Crisis for Millions of Americans Nearly 43 million Americans owe a combined $1.57 trillion in federal student loan debt, with Black borrowers holding 186 percent more debt per capita than White borrowers. Poor health outcomes, including high blood pressure and high rates of anxiety and depression, are associated with accumulating student loan debt. In response to the economic burdens of the pandemic, the Biden administration has paused student loan payment requirements several times, yet failure to address the debilitating effects of student loan debt has many calling on lawmakers to undertake education reform, including “forgiving” student loan debt.
It’s a cornerstone of public health law that public health laws should be grounded in evidence and expertise. That principle has not always been honored during the COVID-19 pandemic. Though additional research is needed, there is a growing body of evidence that demonstrates that public health interventions backed by law are associated with improved health outcomes. 
Michigan School Districts’ Legal Authority and Responsibility to Protect Students from COVID-19 In Michigan, school districts and local health departments have separate and distinct, though overlapping, legal authority to protect students within their jurisdiction. This fact sheet outlines the legal authority and responsibility Michigan public school districts possess to protect students from COVID-19 and the legal risks associated with a Michigan public school district’s failure to implement evidence-based COVID-19 prevention measures.
Legality of Expired Naloxone in Oregon In response to the ongoing opioid overdose crisis, all 50 states and the District of Columbia have modified their laws to increase access to naloxone, the standard first-line treatment for opioid overdose. While these laws have been successful in increasing access to this lifesaving medication, few explicitly address the legality of distributing and administering naloxone that is past its expiration date. This fact sheet briefly discusses the efficacy of expired naloxone and examines whether Oregon law permits the distribution and administration of such naloxone. 
IZ Gateway Agreement for Data Exchange Between IIS and Multi-Jurisdictional Vaccine Providers Numerous Dates – starting today and ending Feb. 18 Join us to examine how the IZ Gateway Project facilitates secure data sharing for immunization information systems in compliance with federal and state law, and how it supports jurisdictions’ role in vaccination. This webinar series provides an in-depth look at the legal relationships between jurisdictions, the IZ Gateway Project and reporting/querying provider organizations, and the associated trust agreements. One Continuing Legal Education credit is available for attending the webinar. 
2022 Public Health Law Summit: Strengthening Protections for Community Health April 25 - 27, 2022 | Baltimore, MD Even as public health efforts are focused on getting vaccines in arms and responding to the medical, economic, and social impacts of COVID-19, new laws are being made that have serious implications in the near term and for future public health emergencies. Join us in Baltimore to examine the use of public health measures to mitigate harm from COVID-19, recent legislative and other efforts to severely limit these measures, and strategies to strengthen public health’s capacity to protect communities. Learn more and register.
Announcements As more states contemplate cannabis legalization, understanding the broad spectrum of public health and policy issues, including advertising restrictions, personal cultivation regulations, social consumption sites, delivery services, local authority to limit or prohibit recreational marijuana enterprises, and social equity measures, is critical. To assist those working in the everchanging environment of cannabis legalization, the Network is launching a newsletter with quarterly updates on statutory and regulatory changes at the federal and state level, key issues, emerging research and articles related to cannabis use and distribution. The first issue is planned for late January and those interested can subscribe here.
The International Association of Privacy Professionals Privacy Innovation Awards The Network is the recipient of the International Association of Privacy Professionals Privacy Innovation Award for its work helping the public sector maneuver privacy requirements during the pandemic. The Privacy Innovation Awards highlight organizations that demonstrate outstanding ingenuity in the use of privacy to build customer and citizen trust. Network attorneys discussed their work as part of a virtual award ceremony held on January 26, 2022.
Job Opportunities Marketing and Communications Associate – Network National Office The Network seeks an individual who is passionate about social justice to join us as our Marketing and Communications Associate. This position will help us successfully raise our national profile, engage with our key constituents, expand our reach, and improve our support to communities. The Marketing and Communications Associate must be a self-starter with the ability to work collaboratively within project teams, and interact effectively with staff, leadership, vendors, members and funders. This position is based at the Network’s National Office in Edina, Minnesota.
Worth Sharing All In: Data for Community Health to Launching Affinity Groups In 2021, All In: Data for Community Health launched eight topic-focused Affinity Groups designed to foster peer learning and sharing on specific topics within data-sharing and multi-sector collaborations. The groups are participant-led and facilitated by subject matter experts to support activities designed to explore topics of interest, facilitate connections, educate, and share resources. The next round of Affinity Groups will launch in early spring 2022 and All-In is seeking input on topics of interest. Please indicate your interest in potential topics via this survey by February 11.
Legal Decision-making and Crisis Standards of Care: Tiebreaking During the COVID-19 Pandemic and in Other Public Health Emergencies In this commentary, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, James G. Hodge, director and Jennifer Piatt, deputy director of the Network’s Western Region Office examine the difficult choices facing health care professionals in the throes of implementing crisis standards of care (CSC) during the pandemic – specifically, those “tie-breaking” decisions involving real-time allocations of scarce resources, including vents and ICU beds, to patients.
Navigating Legalities in Crisis Standards of Care Co-authored by James G. Hodge, director and Jennifer Piatt, deputy director of the Network’s Western Region Office, this article, published in the Maryland Journal of Healthcare Law & Policy, takes an in-depth look at an array of critical law and policy issues at the heart of implementing Crisis Standards of Care (CSC) during the pandemic and provides an examination of potential solutions to the challenges of CSC implementation.
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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! 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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