Health and Health Care
Communities of color have been experiencing a disproportionate burden of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths due to COVID-19. However, the disparities observed are connected to a long history of disproportionate health outcomes for communities of color due to inequities in health and health care. This set of resources identifies law and policy approaches to address health equity including: disparities in COVID testing and treatment, access to care (including crisis standards of care and vaccine access and distribution), private and public coverage (ACA, Medicaid, Medicare, SSA and other public health benefits), provider availability and cultural competency, and the care of vulnerable populations including elderly, long term care residents and staff, people with disabilities and at-risk new moms and babies.
Resources
Federal, State and Local Efforts to Protect the Privacy of Abortion Health Records
Direct Entry Midwives Across the Nation
Medication Abortion: A Primer
First Amendment Implications: Reproductive Rights
State-Based Abortion Protections
Abortion Access: Post-Dobbs Litigation Themes
Key Federal Responses to Protect Abortion Access and Promote Reproductive Health Post-Dobbs
Post-Dobbs Legal Avenues to Abortion Access
Abortion Access: A Post-Roe Public Health Emergency
The Limits of HIPAA in Keeping Reproductive Health Records Private
Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization: The New Reproductive Health Landscape
Crisis Standards of Care: Legal Issues Underlying Key Decisions Regarding Scarce Resources
Spotlight
Some Courts are Finding that a Gender Dysphoria Diagnosis Entitles Individuals to Legal Protections Under the ADA
New Regulations Take on the Long-Standing Problem of Access to Services in Medicaid Programs
State Medicaid Programs Urgently Need to Prepare for the End of the COVID Public Health Emergency: These Tools and Resources Can Help
Learn More
Real-time assistance for questions related to COVID-19 response
The Network can assist local, county, tribal and state health agencies with timely guidance, resources and information critical to key COVID-19 response measures, particularly in the areas of:
- public health authority and emergency powers,
- constitutionality of practices,
- health data privacy,
- protections for disadvantaged and vulnerable individuals,
- crisis standards of care, and
- ethical decision making.
Want our help?
Eastern Region Office
The Eastern Region leads the legal technical assistance and research efforts for:
» Injury Prevention and Safety
» Environmental Public Health
» Food Safety
- Contact an Eastern Region Law & Policy Expert
Kathi Hoke Director (410) 706-1294
khoke@networkforphl.orgMegan Griest Chief of Staff (410) 706-0584
mgriest@networkforphl.orgKerri McGowan
LowreyDeputy Director & Director
of Grants & Research(410) 706-5994
klowrey@networkforphl.orgMathew Swinburne Associate Director (410) 706-4532
mswinburne@networkforphl.org
Mid-States Region Office
The Mid-States Region leads the legal technical assistance and research efforts for:
» Health Information Data Sharing
» Public Health Statutes and Regulatory Information
- Contact a Mid-States Region Law & Policy Expert
Denise Chrysler Director (734) 647-1316
dchrysler@networkforphl.orgPeter D. Jacobson Co-Director Jennifer Bernstein Deputy Director (734) 764-6772
jbernstein@networkforphl.orgColleen Healy Boufides Deputy Director (734) 764-2089
chealyboufides@networkforphl.orgSallie Milam Deputy Director (952) 452-9700
smilam@networkforphl.org
Northern Region Office
The Northern Region leads the legal technical assistance and research efforts for:
» Mental Health and Well-Being
» Rural Health Equity
» Climate Resilience
- Contact a Northern Region Law & Policy Expert
Jill Krueger Director (952) 452-9705
jkrueger@networkforphl.orgBetsy Lawton Senior Staff Attorney (952) 452-9697
blawton@networkforphl.org
Southeastern Region Office
The Southeastern Region leads the legal technical assistance and research efforts for:
» Drug Overdose Prevention and Harm Reduction
» Health Reform
» Maternal and Child Health
» Public Health Agency Structure, Organization and Accreditation
» Messaging
- Contact a Southeastern Region Law & Policy Expert
Gene Matthews Director (734) 647-1316
gmatthews@networkforphl.orgJane Perkins Senior Attorney (919) 260-4303
jperkins@networkforphl.orgSarah Somers Managing Director (919) 968-6308 Ext. 102
ssomers@networkforphl.orgCorey Davis Deputy Director (310) 736-1657
cdavis@networkforphl.orgAmy Lieberman Senior Attorney (952) 500-9105
alieberman@networkforphl.org
Western Region Office
The Western Region leads the legal technical assistance and research efforts for:
» Emergency Legal Preparedness and Response
» Immunization
- Contact a Western Region Law & Policy Expert
James G. Hodge, Jr. Director (480) 727-8576
jhodge@networkforphl.orgApril Shaw Staff Attorney (480) 727-2091
ashaw@networkforphl.orgLeila Barraza Consultant (480) 965-9741
lbarraza@networkforphl.org
Legal Research & Assistance
Experienced legal experts are available to answer questions and provide research, analysis and guidance. Let us know what you’re working on and together we can figure out how we can help.
Legal Assistance Library
Explore the Network’s Legal Assistance Library to find answers to commonly asked questions on a variety of public health topics.