Impact Stories

The Network for Public Health Law’s Harm Reduction Legal Project released Supplantation in the Context of Opioid Settlement Funds following the arrival of more than $50 billion in opioid settlement funds. Since its publication, the brief has played an influential role in shaping public dialogue and policy discussions about the effectiveness of opioid settlement fund spending. By clarifying the legal boundaries around opioid settlement funds, the Network is empowering partners to design systems that ultimately support more resilient and just public health outcomes.

What legal authority exists to protect workers from extreme heat? In July 2024, the Network for Public Health Law released Law and Policy Considerations for Workforce Protections from Extreme Heat. The guide provides a foundation for public agencies, advocates, and coalitions seeking to design or strengthen worker-heat protections and exemplifies how public health law can operationalize equity in the face of environmental change, ensuring that those most exposed to harm are also the first protected by law.

In 2024, the Network for Public Health Law partnered with an academic expert serving as a representative on a governmental committee in a southern jurisdiction. By combining legal technical assistance, policy analysis, and subject-matter expertise, the Network directly informed policy leaders on matters of race equity, justice reform, and social determinants of health. The project demonstrates how law can serve to protect rights and build fairer systems.

As part of this project, the Network provided technical assistance and legal analysis, reviewed proposed changes to regulations, and produced an issue brief, Creating an Equitable Landscape for Lactation Consultant Licensure in Rhode Island. This brief became a key advocacy tool for the legislation and has since informed similar policy discussions in other states, including Utah.