The COVID-19 pandemic is challenging public health in unprecedented ways, and is exposing structural failures and health inequities that further exasperate the impact of the virus. In the absence of a strong national response, state and local jurisdictions have had to navigate a myriad of legal and emergency preparedness issues in an effort to mitigate infection rates and loss of life. This virtual two-day Summit will examine key issues surfaced by the pandemic and paths forward to more effective and equitable emergency response and recovery efforts. Learn more.
Legal and Policy Action Now Can Lay the Groundwork for Posttraumatic Growth Posttraumatic growth has been defined as “positive change experienced as a result of the struggle with a major life crisis or a traumatic event.” It is generally discussed as an individual phenomenon that may be supported in the clinical setting, but the concept may warrant consideration at the population level, as public health practitioners and policy-makers seek to address wide-spread traumatic experiences in 2020, including the COVID-19 pandemic and racial trauma.
Resources: Emergency Legal Preparedness: COVID-19 This Primer outlines the latest legal, policy and practical guidance related to the COVID-19 outbreak and public health emergency responses, and includes a brief “epi-snapshot” of COVID-19, international legal response efforts, U.S. legal preparedness and response (including emergency declarations) and additional resources. Judicial Trends in Public Health – July 15, 2020 The Network for Public Health Law monitors key court cases and relevant judicial trends in public health. The Network’s monthly reporter, Judicial Trends in Public Health, highlights select published cases from the prior three months in public health law and policy. Read our July issue.
COVID-19: Protecting Voter Health and Participation in the 2020 Elections TODAY, July 16 | 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. ET As states respond to the threat of COVID-19, they must consider ways to educate voters about changes and ensure that everyone can safely and securely vote in the 2020 election cycle. Join us to learn more about the challenges and solutions for the voting process in the midst of the pandemic, including legal barriers to turnout, election protection, and mitigating the public health risks. This webinar will also identify key policy interventions states are considering to protect the right to vote. Increased Access to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder during the COVID-19 Epidemic and Beyond July 23 | 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. ET In response to the concurrent epidemics of COVID-19 and opioid-related harm, federal and state agencies have taken steps to temporarily remove some legal and regulatory barriers to treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD). These changes have the potential to improve access to lifesaving medications for OUD (MOUD), particularly among those most at risk. However, they are set to expire with the COVID-19 public health emergency declaration. This webinar will describe these legal and regulatory modifications, how they are being used to increase access to OUD treatment, and opportunities to permanently increase access to MOUD.
Worth Sharing: July 30 - 9:00 to 10:00 am PDT In this webinar, hosted by the Social Interventions Research and Evaluation Network, representatives from Manatt Health will share findings from a report outlining circumstances in which health care organizations can exchange personal information outside the health care sector in compliance with federal and state law. The webinar will highlight four use cases that help to illustrate opportunities for the health care sector to share data with other organizations. Mental Health and Substance Use State Fact Sheets A new KFF analysis and series of state fact sheets examine mental health and substance use disorder needs in the states and capacity to meet residents’ needs prior to the pandemic. The state fact sheets compile key information on mental illness prevalence; substance abuse and related deaths; suicide; mental health workforce; unmet need and barriers to care; private insurance coverage and costs; and Medicaid benefits. Legal 'Tug-of-Wars' During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Public Health v. Economic Prosperity This article, co-authored by James G. Hodge, Jr., director of the Network’s Western Region Office, and Sarah Wetter, consultant at the Western Region Office, and published in the Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, examines the significant legal and policy issues on both sides of the “tug-of-war” between protecting the public’s health and rebooting the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Balancing Religious Freedoms and Public Health Protections during the COVID-19 Pandemic This article, authored by James G. Hodge, Jr., director of the Network’s Western Region Office, and published in the Berkley Forum, examines the substantial debates occurring over the scope and reach of public health powers and religious freedoms in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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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. |