Mechanisms for Advancing Public Health
There are novel and innovative ways that law and policy in different sectors can be used to advance health initiatives. Emerging public health issues like climate adaptation, social determinants of health, and childhood trauma call for new approaches and strategies that leverage law and policy in previously unexplored ways.

Resources

Six Policies that Advance Black Health and Wellbeing

Rent Escrow as a Tool for Enforcing Tenants’ Rights

Collecting and Disseminating Public Health Data Disaggregated by Race and Ethnicity to Advance Health Equity: Navigating the Legal Issues

State Laws Limiting Public Health Protections: Hazardous for Our Health

Exemptions to School Entry Vaccines and Corresponding Vaccine Coverage

Medicaid’s Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment Benefit: A Powerful Tool to Improve Child Health

Legality of Drug Checking Equipment in Illinois

IZ Gateway Agreement for Data Exchange Between IIS and Multi-Jurisdictional Vaccine Providers

Q&A: Tracking How Voting Impacts Health

Immunization (IZ) Gateway Project Legal Agreements: Facilitating Secure Data Sharing for IISs

COVID-19 Illustrates Need to Close the Digital Divide

Strengthening Public Health Authority to Contain and Prevent Communicable Disease
Spotlight

With the Passage of Its Compliance Date, the HIPAA Final Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy Faces Challenges in the Courts

Amid Mounting Threats to Indoor Air Quality, Policies to Expand Access to Modified Box Fans Can Help

Restricting Education on Race and Racism: Legislative Concerns and Bright Spots
Learn More
A Closer Look at Mechanisms for Advancing Public Health
Increasingly, public health must look at legal and policy mechanisms in other sectors for opportunities that can support efforts to improve and promote health in communities. For example, tax incentives — in the form of tax credits, deductions or exemptions — can be used to support injury prevention measures; addressing climate and health requires examination of energy policy; and tackling mental health issues in school necessitates consideration of training requirements for teachers.
Explore Topics
Related Empowered Public Health System Resources
How we can help
Legal Research and 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.