Schedule
Tuesday, September 16, 2025
8:00 AM
Registration Opens
8:30 AM – 10:30 AM
Pre-Conference Workshops
Pre-Conference Workshop
8:30 AM – 10:30 AM
Best Practices for State and Federal Agencies in the Exchange and Protection of Tribal Data
Speakers: Heather Erb, American Indian Health Commission; Summer Hammons, American Indian Health Commission; Kristin Peterson, Washington State Department of Health; Amanda Tjemsland, Washington State Department of Health
Over the past few years, several Tribal Nations, the American Indian Health Commission (AIHC), and the Washington State Department of Health (WA DOH) collaborated to develop and adopt a Model Tribal Data Sharing Agreement Checklist that provides recommended items for state agencies to include when developing data sharing agreements with Tribal Nations. WA DOH and AIHC will use this checklist to provide session participants an overview of how state and federal agencies can protect Tribes’ right to informed consent on how their data, including sensitive communicable disease data about their Tribe and their Tribal members, are used or shared with third parties. Participants will also gain an understanding of best practices for ensuring Tribal governments have equitable access to public health data to protect the health and safety of their community members.
Read morePre-Conference Workshop
8:30 AM – 10:30 AM
No One Left Behind: People Who Use Drugs and Public Health Protections
The Harm Reduction Pre-Conference Workshop is designed to inspire and enable legal professionals and policy makers to center the needs of people who use drugs (PWUD) in their work. With the changing federal landscape, it is likely that new legal and policy barriers for PWUD will arise, and a workforce that is informed and prepared to provide person-centered, evidence-based assistance and advocacy will be increasingly necessary. Attorneys from the Network’s Harm Reduction Legal Project will describe barriers to effective responses to drug-related harm, discuss scientifically sound yet underused overdose prevention policies, and highlight the need for legal professionals to understand the unique challenges facing harm reduction programs. Through discussion questions, case studies, and debate, the Project will engage attendees to think creatively about how to ensure health and dignity to all people.
Read more10:45 AM – 12:45 PM
Pre-Conference Workshops
Pre-Conference Workshop
10:45 AM – 12:45 PM
Reproductive Health Care: Anticipated Changes and Potential Impacts Under the New Administration
Attend this workshop to hear from Network for Public Health Law attorneys who are closely monitoring changes in law and policy that impact access to reproductive health care directly or through indirect measures that deter pregnant people from seeking care. Kathi Hoke from the Network’s Eastern Region will review changes to Title X, the federal program that funds family planning, and litigation surrounding Medicaid funding of Planned Parenthood for non-abortion health care. Kathi will also review FDA’s comments on potential changes to the approval of medication abortion drugs that would diminish access and states’ lawsuits to increase access. Emma Kaeser from the Network’s Mid-States Region will explain legal challenges to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy and the related impact elimination of the rule may have on medical professionals and on pregnant people who suffer miscarriage or have an abortion. Emma will examine the intersecting issue of state laws mandating reporting of abortion care or other fetal death, followed by Naisha Mercury from the Network’s Mid-States Region who will explain how these laws contribute to the possibility of criminalizing miscarriage. Our moderator, Ashleigh Dennis from the Network’s Harm Reduction Legal Project, will add insights into the impact of these myriad changes on pregnant and parenting people who use drugs. Interactive panel discussions will encourage audience participation via an extended Q&A session.
Read morePre-Conference Workshop
10:45 PM – 12:45 PM
Public Health Career Planning: Insights for Student and Early Career Professionals
Whether you are preparing to graduate or have already landed your first job, this workshop will provide you with insights into the diverse ways in which public health is practiced and the potential pathways for future career growth. Participants will engage in two 30-minute case study discussions led by experienced public health professionals. These real-world scenarios will highlight varied approaches to public health policy and practice, with a focus on advancing health equity. The workshop also includes an hour dedicated to networking, with opportunities to connect with professionals and peers one-on-one, ask questions, and explore career options.
Read more12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Opening Celebration
Poster Sessions
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
Opening Plenary
2:45 PM – 4:00 PM
Concurrent Sessions
Advocacy and Community Engagement
2:45 PM – 4:00 PM
Through the Intersections: Criminalization, Public Health, and the Road Forward
Speakers: Kerry Thomas; Jon Card, J.D.; Kae Greenberg, Esq.; Sean McCormick, Esq.
This session will focus on the consequences of the heightened criminalization of People Living with HIV (PLHIV), including the impact of collateral consequences post-release on health outcomes and service accessibility. HIV criminalization will serve as a case study for broader criminalization-based approaches, emphasizing the importance of coalition-based strategies to overcome criminalization and enable compassionate public health solutions, such as harm reduction.
Read moreEmerging Issues and Legal Challenges
2:45 PM – 4:00 PM
Fighting Federal Attacks on Health Care Access and Equity through Legal and Policy Advocacy
Speakers: Madeline Morcelle, J.D., M.P.H.; Mara Youdelman, J.D., LL.M.; Sarah Somers, J.D., M.P.H.
This session will provide an overview of current federal attacks on and looming threats to Medicaid, the ACA, and civil rights, including those that affect sexual and reproductive health care access and equity. Learn how health law and policy advocates are responding through Congressional and administrative advocacy, litigation, and other enforcement actions, as well as opportunities to engage and help fight back.
Read moreHarm Reduction and Overdose Prevention
2:45 PM – 4:00 PM
Advancing Public Health and Harm Reduction Solutions to the Intersecting Crises of Homelessness and Overdose in the Era of Regressive Backlash
Speakers: Kate Boulton, J.D., M.P.H.; Amanda Hall, M.S.W.; Elizabeth Green, Ph.D.; Derek Carr, J.D.
Perceived public disorder and rising homelessness have driven backlash against proven public health policies, with jurisdictions across the political spectrum increasingly embracing criminalization and other coercive responses to drug use and homelessness – a trend likely to worsen following the Grants Pass decision and 2024 election. In this session, presenters will explore this shifting landscape and provide attendees with legal, messaging, and advocacy strategies to defend and advance health-centered, harm reduction-oriented policies on drug use and homelessness.
Read moreHealth and Racial Health Equity
2:45 PM – 4:00 PM
How to Weave Cultural Healing in Clinical Care to Promote Community Health & Well-Being
Speakers: Sara Rogers, M.P.H.; Maria Vallejo, M.S.W.; Christina McCoy; Mary Anne Ligeralde Quiroz
Culture shapes how individuals and families perceive health, interact with systems, and receive care, shaping both personal and collective well-being. This session will explore cultural healing and how culturally responsive approaches can be “weaved” into clinical care to foster trust, engagement, and improve health access and outcomes. It will also highlight key policy reforms that support these practices, creating opportunities to advance similar efforts in other healthcare and public health settings.
Read moreStrengthening Public Health Protections
2:45 PM – 4:00 PM
Enhancing Legal Literacy for Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response
Speakers: Jessica Baggett, Dr.PH., M.P.H.; Rachel Lookadoo, J.D.; Maggie Davis, J.D., M.A.
The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the critical role of legal literacy in public health emergency response, revealing the need to enhance state health officials’ understanding and application of emergency powers. A recent research study that included a national survey of current and former state health officials and qualitative interviews, identified gaps in knowledge, skill deficiencies, and barriers to effective practice in key topic areas such as data sharing, environmental health regulations, and implementing community mitigation measures. This session will detail the study’s key findings and recommendations for practice, and discuss training curriculum that can equip public health officials with the tools necessary to effectively navigate legal complexities, advocate for public health policies, and respond to emergencies.
Read morePublic Health Data Access, Sharing, and Privacy
2:45 PM – 4:00 PM
Privacy at the Crossroads: Adapting to New Regulations and Developments
Speakers: Stephen Murphy, J.D.; Meghan Mead, J.D.
Join us for a special in-person privacy peer learning session hosted by the Network’s Privacy Officer Peer Group and open to anyone with an interest in privacy. This session will include a discussion of recent updates to 42 CFR Part 2 and the current landscape of HIPAA enforcement. Network presenters will discuss implications for privacy of substance use data, the status and implications of the HIPAA Final Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy, OCR’s Right to Access Initiative, and state efforts to protect data from inappropriate access or use.
Read more4:00 PM – 5:15PM
Concurrent Sessions
Advocacy and Community Engagement
4:00 PM – 5:15 PM
Supporting and Developing Regenerative Leaders in Public Health
Speakers: Monica Valdes Lupi, J.D., M.P.H., Daisy Ellis, M.P.H., María Gallegos
As the landscape for public health changes, leaders must develop the skills to undertake new challenges through regenerative practices. PHEARLESS, which stands for the Public Health Regenerative Leadership Synergy, emerged from a collaborative process to better prepare health department leaders and their staff to intentionally design communities where all can thrive. A total of 15 collaboratives were selected through an application process to participate in the professional development leadership program. The collaboratives were small teams representing staff from local health department and established community-based partners. The collaboratives submitted projects that they intended to complete throughout the course of the training and development program that ultimately would improve their community in a tangible way. The collaboratives were given seed funding to support their efforts and they were to demonstrate the application of mindsets and skillsets, acquired through PHEARLESS, to transform systems with a focus on regenerative leadership. The educational team (USF), technical assistance providers, mentors and peers collectively provided and supported the collaboratives in their final projects. As part of the evaluation of the program, Photovoice, was used to document the experience and the manifested changes in the teams. Collaboratives will share their experience and highlight their projects, how the leadership development program influenced their work and the impact on their collaboration and organizations moving forward.
Read moreEmerging Issues and Legal Challenges
4:00 PM – 5:15 PM
Artificial Intelligence Assisted Policy Analysis and Legal Mapping
Speakers: Cason Schmit, J.D., Regen Weber-Fares, J.D., M.P.H., Snigdha Peddireddy, M.P.H.; Mara Howard-Williams, J.D., M.P.H.
Artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) present new tools for increasing efficiency of legal mapping and policy analysis for legal epidemiology. Recent uses of AI/ML in legal mapping provide insight into utilization of this methodology. This session will include a discussion of the issues and applications of AI/ML technologies in public health legal research, including AI/ML-assisted legal mapping methodology considerations, use of large language models for coding health data-sharing laws, and innovative approaches to real-time surveillance of emergency laws.
Read moreHarm Reduction and Overdose Prevention
4:00 PM – 5:15 PM
Rural Pharmacies: A Community Pillar to Strengthen Harm Reduction
Speakers: Devin Sweat, M.S.W., L.S.W., L.A.C.; Heidi Wood, Pharm.D., M.A.S, B.C.P.S, A.A.H.I.V.P; Sophie Durham, Pharm.D.
This session will delve into innovative strategies for strengthening community-based harm reduction, particularly in rural areas. By examining successful models and addressing legal and policy challenges, participants will gain valuable insights into expanding access to naloxone and implementing sustainable harm reduction programs. The session will highlight practical solutions, lessons learned, and best practices for public health professionals, policymakers, and community leaders working to address the opioid crisis.
Read moreHealth and Racial Health Equity
4:00 PM – 5:15 PM
Centering True Lived Experience in Policy to Support Health During Reentry from Incarceration
Speakers: Emma Kaeser, J.D.; Quang Dang, J.D.; Dorel Clayton, C.P.S.S.; Susan Fluerant, J.D., M.P.H.
The period when individuals reenter their communities following incarceration presents an important intervention point to mitigate the health harms of incarceration. Legal and policy innovations, such as Medicaid section 1115 waivers, provide opportunities to address health and social needs during reentry. This panel will examine the importance of centering the lived experience of people who are formerly incarcerated in development and implementation of these policies to promote dignity and wellbeing and to avoid replicating health-harming carceral systems.
Read moreStrengthening Public Health Protections
4:00 PM – 5:15 PM
Legal Epidemiology for Health Departments: A Tool for Evaluating Policy Impact on Population Health
Speakers: Scott Burris, J.D; Alexandra Hess, J.D., M.P.H.; Elizabeth Platt, J.D., M.A.; Elizabeth Van Nostrand, J.D.
This interactive panel will support legal epidemiology capacity-building in health departments to strengthen and support policy evaluation and change. The panel will introduce new tools and resources developed for and in consultation with a curated community of practice to meet the needs of health departments using legal epidemiology to evaluate their public health laws. Panelists will solicit feedback on the tools and resources while detailing case study projects from community of practice members.
Read morePublic Health Data Access, Sharing, and Privacy
4:00 PM – 5:15 PM
Modernizing Data for Public Health Impact: Strategies for Secure Release and Smarter Systems
Speakers: Deja Kemp, Esq.; Jennifer Schitter, M.P.H.; Taylor Pinsent, M.P.H., Willysha Jenkins
As public health challenges evolve, so must our approach to data management and sharing. This session will provide an overview for developing clear guidance for aggregate data release and creating a roadmap for data modernization. Participants will explore strategies to strengthen data infrastructure, balance transparency with privacy, and support more responsive public health efforts. Whether navigating legacy systems or planning for the future, this discussion offers practical tools and forward-looking perspectives to better leverage data for better health outcomes.
Read moreWednesday, September 17, 2025
7:30 AM – 9:00 AM
Registration Open/Breakfast Buffet
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
Poster Session
9:10 AM – 10:30 AM
Concurrent Sessions
Advocacy and Community Engagement
9:10 AM – 10:30 AM
Pro-Vaccine Advocacy at the State Level: Legislative and Judicial Trends
Speakers: Ashley Chambers, J.D.; R. Northe Saunders; Richard Hughes IV, J.D., M.P.H.
The SAFE Communities Coalition supports pro-vaccine legislation and lawmakers, and empowers everyday people (the often silent pro-vaccine majority) to advocate for health and safety alongside medical, legal, and public health professionals. This session will provide information on recent state-focused legislative and judicial trends, and how to participate in advocacy efforts as part of a broad and diverse coalition of partners that supports public health, works for equitable access to immunization, and advocates for laws that protect vulnerable populations.
Read moreEmerging Issues and Legal Challenges
9:10 AM – 10:30 AM
Diving into Wastewater Surveillance for Public Health: Data Access, Sharing, and Legal Considerations for Using Poo’s Clues
Speakers: Rachel Hulkower, J.D., M.S.P.H.; Heather Huntley, J.D., M.H.A.; Rachel West, Ph.D.
Wastewater surveillance is an emerging public health tool that has been implemented throughout the U.S., its territories, and Tribal lands. The session will discuss future wastewater surveillance priorities and how these may relate to public health ethics and law. This session will also discuss legal authorities related to conducting wastewater surveillance, including broad public health authorities, specific statutory authorities, and the police power of states under the Constitution.
Read moreHarm Reduction and Overdose Prevention
9:10 AM – 10:30 AM
Advancing Policy for Public Health: Using Legal Epidemiology to Advance Harm Reduction Policies to Improve Outcomes Related to HIV and Viral Hepatitis
Speakers: Scott Burris, J.D.; Katie Moran-McCabe, J.D.; Tamara Rushovich, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Empirical research on the health effects of law can empower public health leaders to identify and implement evidence-based legal changes. This session explores the use of legal epidemiology to uncover opportunities for policymakers to increase law’s effectiveness to achieve better outcomes related to HIV and viral hepatitis. Panelists will discuss the need for research on policy interventions, longitudinal legal data on laws related to syringe access, and studies analyzing the health effects of these laws.
Read moreHealth and Racial Health Equity
9:10 AM – 10:30 AM
Embedding Equity in State-Wide Decision Making to Address Root Causes of Health Inequities
Speakers: Cait Lang-Perez, M.P.H.; Miranda Calmjoy, M.P.H.; Lindsay Herendeen, M.P.H., M.C.R.P.
In 2006, the Washington State Legislature authorized the State Board of Health to conduct Health Impact Reviews (HIRs) in collaboration with the Governor’s Interagency Council on Health Disparities. An HIR is an objective, non-partisan, evidence-based analysis that provides the Washington State Governor and legislators with information on how a legislative or budgetary proposal may impact health and equity. This session will explore the development, evolution, and influence of HIRs as a state-wide decision-making tool.
Read moreStrengthening Public Health Protections
9:10 AM – 10:30 AM
The Case for Modernizing Public Health Systems Through Better Governance
Speakers: Darlene Huang Briggs, J.D., M.P.H.; Megan McClaire, M.S.P.H.; Marisa Bremer
Imagine a trusted and modernized public health system that meets the needs of the communities it serves. This session will describe and align existing legal authorities and policy principles at play in national public health frameworks such as the 10 Essential Public Health Services and Foundational Public Health Services, which aim to drive public health system modernization, and action-oriented frameworks for adopting more efficient, effective, and transparent government processes that modernize and streamline administrative burdens.
Read moreData Privacy and Public Health
9:10 AM – 10:30 AM
Disaggregating Public Health Data by Race and Ethnicity to Improve Public Health
Speakers: Leslie Zellers, J.D.; Amy Vertal, M.P.H.; Mar Velez, M.P.H.; Lloyd Feng
Disaggregated data on race and ethnicity allows public health professionals to create appropriate, efficient, and equitable interventions to improve health outcomes. This session will provide an overview of state laws to disaggregate race and ethnicity data; best practices for state data disaggregation laws; and case studies from California and New York about the adoption and implementation of those state’s data disaggregation laws.
Read more10:30 AM – 10:45 PM
Networking Break
10:45 AM – 12:00 PM
Concurrent Sessions
Advocacy and Community Engagement
10:45 AM – 12:00 PM
Community Determined Policies and Intervention: Approaches to Climate Change and Health Equity
Speakers: Bradley Kramer, Ph.D., M.P.H.; Jessica Jeavons, J.D.; Ginna Hernandez Rodriguez, M.P.I.A.; Paulina Lopez, M.A.
The session will feature three dynamic approaches by Public Health – Seattle & King County to reach community self-determined solutions to address policy and interventions that accelerate health equity. Presenters will speak on multi-sectorial issues surrounding extreme weather, climate change, and resilience. Each presentation features direct and deep engagement with the most impacted individuals, community-based organizations, and other partners, and highlights approaches ranging from systems modeling, representative survey sampling, and policy priority co-creation.
Read moreEmerging Issues and Legal Challenges
10:45 AM – 12:00 PM
2021-2022 Racial Equity Dataset: A Searchable Collection of Laws Related to Racial Health Equity
Speakers: Quang Dang, J.D.; Phyllis Jeden, J.D.; Alexandra Hess, J.D., M.P.H.
In the wake of the renewed racial justice movement in 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic, jurisdictions across the country enacted laws to address health disparities and advance racial equity — as well as laws that may impede these goals. The Network for Public Health Law sought to identify these laws based on keyword searches in bills proposed in the 2021 and 2022 legislative cycles in all 50 US states. As a result of this research, laws that were enacted, and that were still in effect on December 31, 2022, were compiled into a cohesive dataset to provide insight into the outcomes of those legislative sessions.
Read moreHarm Reduction and Overdose Prevention
10:45 AM – 12:00 PM
Expanding Access to Lifesaving Care: Strategies to Leverage Emergency Medical Services to Address Drug Overdoses
Speakers: KT Kramer, J.D., M.H.A.; Cara Alexander, Ph.D., B.C.D., L.C.S.W.; Susan Schoeld, A.M., L.M.H.C.; Matthew Burgan, N.R.P., CP-C
Federal grants, contracts, and other forms of financial assistance form the cornerstone of federal investment in substance use prevention and harm reduction services. When designed effectively, these funding streams play a critical role in shaping policy, driving community engagement, and enhancing comprehensive prevention systems. This session will explore how the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Center for Substance Abuse Prevention has employed innovative strategies in its discretionary grant programs to strategically leverage federal funding to build sustainable harm reduction infrastructure in communities, with a particular focus on the First Responders-Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (FR-CARA) grant program. Speakers will address how grant language and requirements support community-led harm reduction initiatives that integrate seamlessly with broader prevention, treatment, and recovery systems, including efforts to revise language in FR-CARA and other grants to ensure alignment with statutory requirements while offering recipients the flexibility needed to develop adaptive, community-specific solutions.
Read moreHealth and Racial Health Equity
10:45 AM – 12:00 PM
Meeting the Moment: Addressing Structural Barriers to Sexual and Reproductive Health Care Access and Equity
Speakers: Jen Stolow, Ph.D., M.P.H.; Kaytura Felix, M.D.; Madeline Morcelle, J.D., M.P.H.; Amy Merceicia
Structural oppression continues to shape access to sexual and reproductive health care, disproportionately harming Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, LGBTQI+ individuals, people with disabilities, and other marginalized communities. This session will examine policy, legal, and grassroots advocacy strategies to advance sexual and reproductive health care access and equity, including the use of planned community-based childbirth to racism in pregnancy care; the role of nondiscrimination law in promoting sexual and reproductive health care equity for undervalued communities; and lessons from Ireland’s abortion rights movement in identifying coalition-building strategies that can inform advocacy efforts in politically and religiously conservative contexts.
Read moreStrengthening Public Health Systems
10:45 AM – 12:00 PM
Beyond Legislation: Litigation, Rulemaking, and Policy Implementation to Promote Health Equity
Speakers: Sarah de Guia, J.D.; Sabrina Adler, J.D.; Alexis Etow, J.D.; Maya Watts, J.D.
Policy change efforts often focus on legislation as a tool, but there are non-legislative strategies that can be equally if not more effective, particularly in challenging political climates. This session will provide an overview, using case studies and specific examples, of three non-legislative avenues to advance health equity: litigation, rulemaking, and equitable implementation of laws and policies. Participants will learn about how to utilize these strategies, and will have the opportunity to discuss them.
Read more12:05 PM – 1:35 PM
Lunch Keynote
1:45 PM – 3:00 PM
Concurrent Sessions
Advocacy and Community Engagement
1:45 PM – 3:00 PM
Health and Democracy: Democratizing Community Health Assessments
Speakers: Gnora Mahs, Dr.PH., M.P.H.; Margarita Northrop, M.P.H., M.I.P.A.; Jeannette Raymond; Jeanna Ayers, R.N., M.P.H.
There is a growing recognition of the interconnected relationship between democracy and health. Healthy People 2030 named increasing voter participation as a core objective paving the way for health departments to prioritize promoting civic and voter participation across their community health assessments, plans, and programs. In this session, leaders from Minnesota and Wisconsin will share examples of advancing health equity by building cross-sectoral partnerships and strengthening civic participation through health assessment and planning processes.
Read moreEmerging Issues and Legal Challenges
1:45 PM – 3:00 PM
Preparing for the Next Public Health Emergency: Investment in Broadband Infrastructure to Improve Public Health Outcomes
Speakers: Sara Raza, LL.M.; Seth Hoedl, Ph.D., J.D.; Waide Warner, J.D.
From vaccine appointments and test results to tracking CDC mask mandates, healthcare and public health’s reliance on the internet surged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Virtual care became the new norm, prompting laws and policies to expand access to telehealth. At the same time, public health agencies took on broad new initiatives to conduct contact tracing, surveillance, and other outreach functions, many of which relied on rapid and secure electronic communications. This session will discuss laws and policies that engage public health departments in digital equity programming to advance health equity and will examine the potential roles public health agencies can play in leveraging broadband infrastructure investments to sustain telehealth expansion and support other public health functions in the long-term, to be ready to respond when the next disaster calls.
Read moreHarm Reduction and Overdose Prevention
1:45 PM – 3:00 PM
Disability Justice: Novel Approaches to Using the American Disabilities Act to Protect the Rights of People Living with Disabilities and Promote Public Health
Speakers: Bianca Laureano, Ph.D, M.A., C.S.E., C.S.E.S.; Milo Inglehart, J.D.; Amelia Caramadre, Esq., M.P.H.; Sean McCormick, J.D.
This session will explain the historical and ongoing discrimination against people living with disabilities and explore its convergence with other forms of oppression. Speakers will provide innovative legal strategies to address discrimination against people living with HIV and those with substance use disorders, as well as steps for using these approaches to protect the rights of people living with stigmatized conditions and promote public health.
Read moreHealth and Racial Health Equity
1:45 PM – 3:00 PM
Fighting the Anti-Anti-Racism Movement through Theory, Practice, and Litigation
Speakers: April Shaw, Ph.D., J.D.; Paloma Wu, J.D.
This session examines the anti-anti-racism movement and its public health impacts. It assesses legal and narrative trends focusing on where we are, where we were, and what has changed. Turning to practice, participants will learn about real-world health impacts, including pivots to nonetheless meet the needs of people of color. Participants will also learn about what is being done on the litigation front to challenge the sweeping measures to eradicate anti-racist public health efforts.
Read morePublic Health Data Access, Sharing, and Privacy
1:45 PM – 3:00 PM
State Health Departments and Tribes: A New Public Health Data Sharing Approach and Model
Speakers: Chris Alibrandi O’Connor, J.D.; Peter Reckmeyer, J.D.
Long-standing barriers hinder state health departments from sharing data with Tribal Health Organizations (THOs). These barriers, which may include legal obstacles, uncertainty, and a lack of trust, keep states from working collaboratively with THOs and leveraging their resources and skills to address shared public health objectives. Learn how Alaska’s Division of Public Health and the Alaska Native Epidemiology Center’s recent successful effort to address and remove those barriers can be an approach and model for health departments and Tribal organizations.
Read more3:00 PM – 3:15 PM
Networking Break
3:15 PM – 4:30 PM
Concurrent Sessions
Advocacy and Community Engagement
3:15 PM – 4:30 PM
The Role of Law and Policy in Achieving Mobility and Transportation Equity
Speakers: Kerri McGowan Lowrey, J.D., M.P.H.; Johnathon Ehsani, Ph.D., M.P.H.; Dan Cooke; Jaqueline Garcia Castillo
Through engaging discussion, this session will present a powerful example of the role of law, advocacy, and community engagement in addressing mobility equity, a key driver of health and wellness. Speakers will: Set the stage by discussing The Why: mobility as a driver of health and wellness and how novice driver licensing law is both a remedy and an unintentional driver of certain inequities impacting marginalized communities (e.g., due to delayed licensure). Present The How: a tangible example of advocacy for policy change at all levels, describing how Washington state was able to build political will and pass innovative legislation to improve road safety while addressing equity challenges and engaging the community in rulemaking and implementation. Highlight The What: the power of community engagement by discussing Mujer al Volante, an innovative program in Washington that helps low-income immigrant, refugee, and asylum women gain independence through driving.
Read moreEmerging Issues and Legal Challenges
3:15 PM – 4:30 PM
Integration of Public Health in Climate Strategies by Major U.S. Cities: A Pragmatic Look at the Treatment of Climate-Health Crisis in Municipal Policies
Speakers: Keegan Warren, J.D., LL.M., Patrick Murphy, M.B.A.
The field of sustainability seeks to integrate environmental health, social equity, and economic vitality for the well-being of current and future generations. A critical emerging challenge in this field is addressing the growing impacts of climate change on communities. Despite the clear ties between environmental health and public health, and despite a nascent global emphasis on the “climate-health crisis,” little empirical research has examined whether and how U.S. cities have integrated public health into their climate action plans, and how those plans align with local public health strategies. This session will discuss the alignment of climate actions plans with public health adaptation strategies, as well as leading practices and persistent gaps that must be addressed as municipal climate strategies grow in sophistication and public health strategies take increasing account of climate risks.
Read moreHarm Reduction and Overdose Prevention
3:15 PM – 4:30 PM
The Future of Harm Reduction in an Increasingly Hostile Legal Environment
Speakers: Amy Lieberman, J.D.
How can public health professionals work collaboratively with harm reduction programs in a hostile legal and political environment to ensure best health practices, safety, and dignity for people who use drugs and their communities? This session will discuss the current legal landscape and discuss strategies to support harm reduction providers and their communities, emphasizing coalition-building, creativity, and courage.
Read moreHealth and Racial Health Equity
3:15 PM – 4:30 PM
Maternal Health Disparities and Local Health Department Engagement
Speakers: Monica Valdes-Lupi, J.D., Angelina Esparza, R.N., M.P.H.
The Kresge Foundation hosted a Maternal Health Disparities Leadership Summit. The Summit provided a roundtable discussion to explore persistent and alarming disparities in maternal and child health outcomes and examine local approaches to data, access to care, and policy needed to ameliorate disparities. The goal was to create an opportunity for local health departments to share promising practices, common challenges, and identify collaborative opportunities to address the issue.
Read moreStrengthening Public Health Protections
3:15 PM – 4:30 PM
Challenges and Opportunities in Public Health Under the Trump Administration
Speakers: Scott Burris, J.D., Mehreen Butt, J.D., Sara Bartel, J.D.
The 2023-2024 Supreme Court term and the 2024 elections ushered in a new and unfamiliar landscape for public health law. In the session, the Act for Public Health partnership will identify the resulting challenges and opportunities in the public health landscape, including: (1) federal legislative and executive actions impacting public health; (2) the impact of recent Supreme Court decisions; and (3) opportunities for state and local governments to strengthen public health authority to address social determinants of health.
Read morePublic Health Data Access, Sharing, And Privacy
3:15 PM – 4:30 PM
Advancing Health Equity through Community Information Exchanges (CIEs)
Speakers: Stephen Murphy, J.D.; Emma Kaeser, J.D.; Meghan Mead, J.D.
A community information exchange (CIE) is a community governed infrastructure that enables critical health and social information to be responsibly shared among partner organizations in support of holistic coordination of care and equitable systems change. In this session, panelists will share practical insights from the development of a CIE in the Chicago/Cook County, Illinois area, exploring CIEs as a model for promoting health equity and discussing lessons learned for developing a workable legal framework.
Read more4:35 PM – 5:50 PM
Concurrent Sessions
Advocacy and Community Engagement
4:35 PM – 5:50 PM
Building Partnerships with Community and Cross-Sectoral Partners to Advance Health and Health Equity
Speakers: Angela McGowan, J.D., M.P.H.; Rya Griffis, M.P.H.
Strong cross-sectoral and community partnerships are critical to advancing public health and health equity. Advocacy and collaboration ensure laws and policies facilitate, not impede, health and well-being, which in turn creates the conditions communities need to enable everyone to be healthy and thrive. This session highlights lessons for creating partnerships with public health, cross-sectoral, community-based, and power-building organizations and provides tools and resources to identify shared values and priorities and build transformational relationships with lasting impact on communities’ health.
Read moreEmerging Issues and Legal Challenges
4:35 PM – 5:50 PM
It’s Getting Hot Out There – Law and Policy Strategies to Reduce Health Risks of Extreme Heat
Speakers: Betsy Lawton, J.D.; Caleb Smith; Dr. Joanne Pérodin
The data is clear: Earth’s temperature is on the rise, with the 10 most recent years being the hottest on record. Extreme heat—the number one weather-related killer in the nation—is regularly a top news story, with distressing health hazards caused by excess heat reported throughout the United States. Laws and policies to protect individuals from the health hazards of extreme heat in various settings—including at home and on the job—are developing on the national, state, and local front. This panel will discuss the realities of extreme heat exposure, community needs during extreme heat, and a variety of law and policy developments that can reduce the health risks of extreme heat, with an eye on protections for the most sensitive populations, such as pregnant people, young people, aging populations, and communities located in urban heat islands; as well as populations that have high rates of exposure to extreme heat, such as farm workers and other outdoor workers, and individuals who lack access to cooling equipment at home.
Read moreHealth and Racial Health Equity
4:35 PM – 5:50 PM
The Public Health Case for Reparations and Insights from the Field
Speakers: Melissa Jones, M.P.A.; Brandon Greene, Esq.
This session explores the intersections of public health and reparations policies. Public health experts, legal advocates, and local government leaders will examine the transformative potential of this strategy for addressing health inequities and collaborative approaches to design and implement reparative policies in diverse local contexts. Participants will explore opportunities for reparative actions, potential health benefits, and what it takes to advance this work in the current national environment.
Read morePublic Health Data Access, Sharing, and Privacy
4:35 PM – 5:50 PM
Protect and Share: Empowering data sharing with ethical governance and social license to address disparities in marginalized communities
Speakers: Cason Schmit, J.D.; Deja Kemp, Esq.; Isabel Algrant, M.S.; Meghan O’Connell, M.D., M.P.H.
This session will explore how ethics-based policies and practices are key to unlocking the full potential of data for impactful public health interventions. The presentations will underscore the critical role of establishing a strong social license and implementing good data governance as protective ethical practices. These frameworks are essential for fostering trust and enabling more effective data sharing and use, particularly when addressing the interconnected needs of marginalized communities and dismantling systemic inequities that often skew data and hinder progress. Participants will be introduced to the updated, “A Toolkit for Centering Racial Equity Throughout Data Integration.” This revised resource offers practical strategies and 53 new real-world examples for identifying and mitigating bias across the data lifecycle. The session will also focus on the persistent challenges faced by Tribal governments and Tribal epidemiology centers in accessing vital public health data.
Read moreIgnite Session: Harm Reduction-Focused Sessions
4:35 PM – 5:50 PM
42 CFR Part 2 and Privacy Protections for People Who Use Drugs, People in Treatment and People in Recovery
Speakers: Jacqueline Seitz, J.D.
Federal privacy protections for substance use disorder treatment records promote important public health and policy goals by encouraging people to access treatment, promoting the therapeutic relationship in treatment, and protecting people from stigma, discrimination, and criminalization. These important privacy protections, specifically 42 CFR Part 2, are also confusing, complex, and changing, with five rulemakings in seven years, with an upcoming compliance date of February 2026. This presentation offers insight into the changes, dispel common misconceptions and confusion about sharing substance use-related data across sectors, and provide a framework for thinking and applying privacy protections in the context of public health.
Read moreIgnite Session: Harm Reduction-Focused Sessions
4:35 PM – 5:50 PM
Legal Strategies to Require Pharmacies to Stock Buprenorphine in Pennsylvania
Speakers: Shanaya Desai
Buprenorphine is a life-saving medication for many people with opioid use disorder, and is a key tool in efforts to decrease overdose and other drug-related harms. Fortunately, the process and requirements for prescribing buprenorphine have become less onerous; unfortunately, many pharmacies do not stock buprenorphine or refuse to fill prescriptions. This presentation focuses on legal strategies for requiring pharmacies to stock buprenorphine in Pennsylvania, including potential causes of action to compel pharmacies to stock buprenorphine based in Pennsylvania statutory, regulatory, and common law; and explores a plan for mobilizing change in relevant state agencies to better specify pharmacy obligations and to ensure appropriate implementation and enforcement.
Read moreIgnite Session: Harm Reduction-Focused Sessions
4:35 PM – 5:50 PM
Public Health Policy to Advance Drug Checking Services
Speakers: Carmelita Cruz, Esq.
The New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute currently oversees over one dozen drug checking services programs, co-located with existing harm reduction programs, as pilot programs. A temporary licensing structure was created with the Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement while a statutory amendment is advanced with the Legislature. The presentation will include an overview of the public health law framework to support drug checking programs as well as an overview of existing programs, best practices in development and partnership with the Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement to address licensure; and highlight the various community partnerships the New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute has developed over the past four decades and how those partnerships enhance public health policy development and implementation.
Read more6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Conference Reception
Thursday, September 18, 2025
8:30 AM – 10:00 AM
Closing Plenary
Closing Plenary
8:30 AM – 10:00 AM
Bridging Public Health and Community Needs Through Strong Partnerships
Moderator: April Shaw, Deputy Director, Network for Public Health Law—Health Equity team
Speakers: Emma M. Torres, Executive Director/Founder, Campesinos Sin Fronteras; Zelalem Adefris, MPH, Chief Executive Officer, Catalyst Miami; Annajane Yolken, MPH, Director of Strategy, Project Weber/RENEW
Community based organizations (CBOs) are at the forefront of efforts to create positive health outcomes for communities of color and others who experience structural harms. The work that CBOs do, including building trust, understanding community needs, and implementing community-based solutions are essential to public health. It also calls for strong partnership between CBOs, public health agencies, and other governmental agencies. This plenary will provide different perspectives and insights from CBOs who are advancing health justice in their communities by addressing the social determinants of health. Attendees will get an understanding of the support needed by CBOs in their important work, hear about how to best partner and build trust with communities, and gain valuable learnings that can guide partnerships and collaborations between public health agencies, CBOs, and other partners. The session will inspire attendees to forge partnerships and take action to strengthen public health in their communities.
Read more10:15 AM – 11:30 AM
Concurrent Sessions
Advocacy and Community Engagement
10:15 AM – 11:30 AM
Policy Co-Design Through Community Engagement
Speakers: Ginna Hernandez Rodriguez, M.P.I.A.; Jessica Jeavons, J.D.; Sarah Walker, Ph.D.; Angel Swanson
This presentation will highlight the innovative approaches taken by Public Health – Seattle & King County and the University of Washington CoLab to address public health issues through community-centered policy co-creation. Attendees will gain insight into the methodologies, challenges, and successes of these collaborative efforts aimed at improving health outcomes by addressing racism, fostering multisector collaboration, and increasing food security.
Read moreEmerging Issues and Legal Challenges
10:15 AM – 11:30 AM
The Misclassification of Misoprostol and Mifepristone as Controlled Substances – A Public Health and Legal Response
Speakers: Jeanie Donovan, M.P.H., M.P.Aff.; Ryann Martinek, M.P.H.; Ellie Schilling, J.D.
In 2024, Louisiana became the first state to place misoprostol and mifepristone on the state’s Controlled Substances List in a misguided attempt to reduce access to the drugs, which are used in medication abortion but also in many other medical procedures. Now other states are looking to follow in the footsteps of Louisiana. Learn how leaders at one local health department and advocates are fighting back against this misuse of the Controlled Substances Act.
Read moreHarm Reduction and Overdose Prevention
10:15 AM – 11:30 AM
Overdose Prevention Centers: State of the Law and Continuing Momentum
Speakers: Kellen Russoniello, J.D.
With nearly 100,000 people dying of overdose in the United States every year, communities must take bold action to save lives. Overdose prevention centers (OPCs) are evidence-based harm reduction interventions that improve public health and safety and should be part of a comprehensive approach to drug policy. Panelists will provide a legal overview of the current status of OPCs, recent wins and challenges, and policy developments across the country.
Read moreHealth and Racial Health Equity
10:15 AM – 11:30 AM
Collaborative for Anti-Racism & Equity (CARE): Advancing Legal and Equity Innovations for Racial Justice in Public Health
Speakers: Sara Rogers, M.P.H.; Alexis Etow, J.D.; Dawn Hunter, J.D., M.P.H.; Lawrence Haynes
This session will look at the pressing issue of health and racial equity work in the face of current challenges. Presenters will explore tools and strategies to maintain momentum and communicate effectively in support of communities where everyone can thrive. Attendees will leave with the knowledge and tools to stay motivated and purposeful and learn how to continue doing this work without making it a target.
Read morePublic Health Data Access, Sharing, and Privacy
10:15 AM – 11:30 AM
Is TEFCA a panacea? What TEFCA solves, what it doesn’t solve, and how you can use it
Speakers: Lillian M. Colasurdo, J.D., M.E.L.P.; Nichole Sweeney, J.D.
The promise of TEFCA for data sharing with public health authorities has been heralded from the top offices at the Federal Government. This session will explore whether and how early implementers have glimpsed this promise – what has worked, what has not, and what still needs to be solved. The session will also discuss when TEFCA benefits from working with local entities such as health information exchanges and how such partnerships can promote local concerns with national data exchange.
Read more