Emergency Legal Preparedness and Response
During disease outbreaks or natural disasters, jurisdictions may take divergent legal approaches in their responses to national or regional public health threats. Legal authorities vary across states, tribal governments and localities during declared emergencies. Conflicting laws and overlapping jurisdictions further complicate key decisions on when or how to respond.
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Resources
COVID-19: Focus on Emerging Constitutional Challenges
Legislation and Legal ChallengesEmergency Legal Preparedness and ResponseCOVID-19Emergency Response
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Emergency Legal Preparedness: COVID-19
Emergency Legal Preparedness and ResponseCOVID-19Emergency Response
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FAQ: COVID-19 Emergency Legal Preparedness
Emergency Legal Preparedness and ResponseCOVID-19Emergency Response
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Overview of COVID-19 Emergency Declarations
Emergency Legal Preparedness and ResponseCOVID-19Emergency Response
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COVID-19 Real-Time Legal Responses: Local Governments on the Frontlines
Emergency Legal Preparedness and ResponseCOVID-19Emergency Response
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U.S. Legal Preparedness and Real-time Responses: COVID-19
Emergency Legal Preparedness and ResponseCOVID-19Emergency Response
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2019 Novel Coronavirus: Legal Preparedness and Public Health Response Efforts
Emergency Legal Preparedness and ResponseCOVID-19Emergency Response
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Legal Emergency Preparedness Resources
Emergency Legal Preparedness and Response
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Opioid-related Public Health Emergency Declarations
Emergency Legal Preparedness and ResponseSubstance Use Prevention and Harm Reduction
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Emergency Legal Preparedness Concerning Ebola
Emergency Legal Preparedness and Response
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Measles Outbreak: Public Health Authority, New York City’s Immunization Mandate, and the Current Legislative Landscape
Emergency Legal Preparedness and Response
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Public Health Decision-Making Tool
Emergency Legal Preparedness and Response
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Preventing Communicable Disease through Vaccination Laws
Emergency Legal Preparedness and Response
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Learning from the Flint Water Crisis – Protecting the Public’s Health During a Financial Emergency
Emergency Legal Preparedness and ResponseEnvironment, Climate and HealthFlint Water Crisis Project
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Public Health Handbook for Communities Under Emergency Management – A Case Study of the Flint Water Crisis
Emergency Legal Preparedness and ResponseEnvironment, Climate and HealthFlint Water Crisis Project
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Emergency Manager Law Primer: Protecting the Public’s Health During Financial Emergencies – Lessons Learned from the Flint Water Crisis
Emergency Legal Preparedness and ResponseEnvironment, Climate and HealthFlint Water Crisis Project
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Declared States of Emergency – Opioid Crisis
Emergency Legal Preparedness and ResponseSubstance Use Prevention and Harm Reduction
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Emergency Legal Preparedness – Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria
Emergency Legal Preparedness and Response
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Emergency Legal Preparedness and Zika Virus
Emergency Legal Preparedness and Response
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Legal Liability Protections for Emergency Medical/Public Health Responses
Emergency Legal Preparedness and Response
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Emergency Declaration Authorities
Emergency Legal Preparedness and Response
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Summary of Authority & Actions Regarding Public Health Emergencies
Emergency Legal Preparedness and ResponseMichigan
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Federal and Michigan Laws Protecting Individuals from Tort Liability
Emergency Legal Preparedness and ResponseMichigan
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Emergency Legal Preparedness Concerning Ebola Virus Disease
Emergency Legal Preparedness and Response
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Ebola Public Health Emergency Legal Preparedness and Response FAQs
Emergency Legal Preparedness and Response
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Spotlight
A Public Health Framework for Implementing Economic and Social Supports
COVID-19Emergency Legal Preparedness and Response
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Network for Public Health Law Receives Funding Support from Kaiser Permanente and the CDC Foundation for COVID-19 Response
Emergency Legal Preparedness and ResponseCOVID-19
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COVID-19: Snapshot of Law and Policy in the News
Emergency Legal Preparedness and ResponseCOVID-19
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A Closer Look at Emergency Legal Preparedness and Response
Public health officials may face many critical legal and policy decisions during public health emergencies, including:
- Inter-jurisdictional legal coordination of federal, tribal, state and local actors in real-time emergencies under changing legal norms
- The ability to issue isolation or quarantine orders, or other social distancing methods, to control public health threats
- Whether to close or dismiss schools, or other public assemblies, temporarily or for prolonged periods to prevent the spread of communicable diseases
- The authority to mandate vaccinations for minors or autonomous adults, including health care workers
- Licensing, credentialing and privileging out-of-state health practitioners
- Inter-jurisdictional management of scarce resources including personnel, vaccines, shelter and sustenance
- Omnipresent concerns over liability of public health practitioners during emergencies
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