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
School Entry Vaccines
Federal Regulation of Fluoride in Drinking Water
Community Power Building: King County, Washington
Grief, Loss, and the Gaps in Support Across Public Health
Advancing Health Equity: The Social Determinants of Health
Preventing Medical Debt: State Laws Requiring a Uniform Application for Hospital Financial Assistance Programs
Advancing the Social Determinants of Health—The Private Sector Community Benefits Movement
Legal Frameworks to Improve Health Equity Through Community Information Exchanges
Public Health Under the New Administration: Examining State and Local Authority to Regulate Raw Milk, Water Fluoridation, and School-Entry Vaccines
RHE CFA Facilitated Discussion
Food Insecurity and Food Safety: Policy and Legislative Actions
How Data and Data Modernization Are Essential to Reducing Health Disparities Rooted in Racism
Spotlight
Q&A: What Public Health Professionals Need to Know About Public Health Education, Advocacy and Lobbying
Racial Equity Impact Assessments: A Valuable, Yet Underutilized, Tool to Address Structural Racism
How the Private Sector Community Benefits Movement is Advancing Health Equity
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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.
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Explore the Network’s Legal Assistance Library to find answers to commonly asked questions on a variety of public health topics.