Paying People to Refrain from Drug Use Works. Recent Policy Changes Have Eased the Legal Barriers to this Promising Practice.

Law & Policy InsightsSubstance Use Prevention and Harm ReductionHarm Reduction Legal Project

September 29, 2025
by Michael Abrams

States rely on data from the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) to identify and monitor troubling trends in adolescent health and develop programmatic and policy interventions. In January, YRBSS data were among many federal data resources pulled from public access in response to vague and scientifically unsupported executive orders signed by President Trump. The result is a dangerous blind spot at precisely the moment when schools, health agencies, and policymakers need clear information the most.

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Reproductive Health Data Privacy: What Now?

Law & Policy InsightsHealth Information and Data SharingReproductive Health and Equity 

September 26, 2025
by Stephen Murphy

States rely on data from the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) to identify and monitor troubling trends in adolescent health and develop programmatic and policy interventions. In January, YRBSS data were among many federal data resources pulled from public access in response to vague and scientifically unsupported executive orders signed by President Trump. The result is a dangerous blind spot at precisely the moment when schools, health agencies, and policymakers need clear information the most.

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Losing Data, Losing Ground: Politicizing Science Undermines Youth Mental Health

Law & Policy InsightsMental Health and Well-BeingHealth in School

September 4, 2025
by Kerri McGowan Lowrey

States rely on data from the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) to identify and monitor troubling trends in adolescent health and develop programmatic and policy interventions. In January, YRBSS data were among many federal data resources pulled from public access in response to vague and scientifically unsupported executive orders signed by President Trump. The result is a dangerous blind spot at precisely the moment when schools, health agencies, and policymakers need clear information the most.

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The July 2025 Executive Order and the State of Harm Reduction in the US 

Law & Policy InsightsHarm Reduction Legal ProjectExecutive Order Watch: Protecting America’s Health from Harmful Directives

August 22, 2025
by Corey Davis

In late July, the Trump Administration issued an Executive Order, “Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets,” that threatens to further criminalize unhoused people, people who use drugs (PWUD), and other marginalized groups. While the order raised fears that all harm reduction activities would lose federal funding, SAMHSA has since clarified that lifesaving tools like naloxone, drug-checking supplies, and sharps disposal kits remain eligible for support. Still, the administration’s stance reinforces a dangerous narrative: separating “acceptable” overdose interventions from the core principles of harm reduction, which affirm the dignity and humanity of PWUD.

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The Endangerment Finding Protects Public Health, Now It’s Time to Protect the Endangerment Finding

Law & Policy InsightsEnvironment, Climate and Health

August 20, 2025
by Jill Krueger

The American Public Health Association recently issued a public statement condemning the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal to repeal all greenhouse gas emissions standards for motor vehicles. Public comments on the proposal end on September 2, 2025. All manner of people, from members of Moms Clean Air Force to members of Congress, have signed up to testify during the four days of virtual public hearings, August 19 – 22. 

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Bleeding Behind Bars: Addressing Menstrual Equity in Carceral Facilities

Law & Policy InsightsReproductive Health and Equity Mechanisms for Advancing Health Equity

August 5, 2025
by Naisha Mercury

Menstrual health is a major area of reproductive health often overshadowed for the estimated 79.8 percent of those in carceral facilities of reproductive age. For some, menstrual hygiene products are easily accessible, whereas for others it is a constant struggle. Meaningful progress toward comprehensive menstrual equity for all incarcerated individuals remains limited and inconsistent across jurisdictions. 

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We’re Listening: Join the Network’s Focus Groups and Help Shape Support for Public Health in Turbulent Times 

Law & Policy InsightsMechanisms for Advancing Public Health

July 23, 2025

Public health is facing complex challenges, and the Network is rethinking how we can best support the field. We’re hosting focus groups and interviews to hear directly from you, our partners in public health. Join us (virtually or in person) to share your perspective and receive a $25 gift card for your time. Spots are limited. Learn more.

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New Federal SNAP Database Notice is a Call to Action for Data Privacy Protections for Working Families, Immigrants, and Other Individuals

Law & Policy InsightsHealth Information and Data SharingFood Safety and Security

July 9, 2025
by Darlene Huang Briggs

The USDA has announced plans to make changes to how the federal SNAP recipient database is collected and utilized. The inclusion of a provision for including immigration status in data collection and tracking has raised suspicions that it is part of the Trump administration’s efforts to surveil and track immigrants. The database’s new routine uses become effective July 23, 2025 unless public comment prompts the USDA to make changes. As public health leaders and practitioners decide whether and how to comment on the notice and what may be needed to reassess in their own data sharing practices, a few notes and resources may be helpful.

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Drug Checking is Effective: More States Should Stop Criminalizing It

Law & Policy InsightsSubstance Use Prevention and Harm ReductionHarm Reduction Legal ProjectInjury Prevention and Safety

June 26, 2025
by Michael Abrams

The illicit drug supply in the U.S. is dangerously contaminated, with widespread fentanyl adulteration one high-profile example.  States and municipalities interested in promoting evidence-based overdose prevention strategies should enact favorable drug checking policies, and they should consider a comprehensive approach, like a recently enacted law in California, to most effectively resolve existing barriers.

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