Sessions by Track - NPHL Events

2025 Public Health Law Conference Sessions

View the Sessions by Track

Advocacy and Community Engagement

Emerging Issues and Legal Challenges

Harm Reduction and Overdose Prevention

Health and Racial Health Equity

Strengthening Public Health Protections

Public Health Data Access, Sharing, And Privacy

ADVOCACY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Building Partnerships with Community and Cross-Sectoral Partners to Advance Health and Equity

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.

Angela McGowan, J.D., M.P.H., Senior Director, Alliance for the Public’s Health, American Public Health Association
Rya Griffis, M.P.H., Project Manager, Alliance for the Public’s Health, American Public Health Association

Community Determined Polices and Interventions: Approaches to Climate Change and Health Equity

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.

Bradley Kramer, Ph.D., M.P.H., Senior Program Manager, Climate & Health Equity Initiative, Public Health Seattle & King County
Jessica Jeavons, J.D., Director Policy and Strategy, Public Health Seattle & King County
Ginna Hernandez Rodriguez, M.P.I.A., Policy Analyst, Public Health Seattle & King County
Paulina Lopez, M.A., Executive Director, Duwamish River Community Coalition (DRCC/TAG)

Health and Democracy: Democratizing Community Health Assessments

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.

Gnora Mahs, Dr.PH., M.P.H., Health & Democracy Coalitions Advisor, Institute for Responsive Government
Margarita Northrop, M.P.H., M.I.P.A., State Health Plan Coordinator, Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Office of Policy and Practice Alignment
Jeannette Raymond, Former Public Health Practice Assistant Section Manager, Minnesota Department of Health
Jeanne Ayers, R.N., M.P.H., Fellow, Institute for Responsive Government

Policy Co-Design through Community Engagement

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.

Ginna Hernandez Rodriguez, M.P.I.A., Policy Analyst, Public Health Seattle & King County
Jessica Jeavons, J.D., Director Policy and Strategy, Public Health Seattle & King County
Sarah Walker, Ph.D., Director of University of Washington CoLab for Community & Behavioral Health Policy
Angel Swanson, Executive Director, Feeding Feasible Feasts

Pro-Vaccine Advocacy at the State Level: Legislative and Judicial Trends from 2025

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.

Ashley Chambers, J.D., Director of Legal Affairs, SAFE Communities Coalition
R. Northe Saunders, Executive Director, SAFE Communities Coalition
Richard Hughes IV, J.D., M.P.H., Epstein Becker Green

Supporting and Developing Regenerative Leaders in Public Health

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.

Monica Valdes Lupi, J.D., M.P.H., Managing Director, Health Program, The Kresge Foundation
Daisy Ellis, M.P.H., Chronic Disease Policy Specialist, City of New Orleans Health Department
María Gallegos, Public Health Compliance Manager, One Albuquerque Environmental Health, City of Albuquerque

The Role of Law and Policy in Achieving Mobility and Transportation Equity

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.

Kerri McGowan Lowrey, J.D., M.P.H., Deputy Director, Network for Public Health Law—Eastern Region
Johnathon Ehsani, Ph.D, M.P.H., Associate Professor, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Dan Cooke, Licensing, Endorsements, and Traffic Safety (LETS) Administrator, Washington State Department of Licensing
Jaqueline Garcia Castillo, Founder and Executive Director, Mujer al Volante

Through the Intersections: Criminalization, Public Health, and the Road Forward

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.

Kerry Thomas, Community Decriminalization Strategist, Sero Project
Jon Card, J.D., Staff Attorney, Health Law and Policy Clinic, Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation of Harvard Law School
Kae Greenberg, Esq., Staff Attorney, Center for HIV Law and Policy
Sean McCormick, Esq., Staff Attorney, Positive Justice Project, Center for HIV Law and Policy

back to view sessions by track

EMERGING ISSUES AND LEGAL CHALLENGES

2021-2022 Racial Equity Dataset: A Searchable Collection of Laws Related to Racial Health Equity

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.

Quang Dang, J.D., Interim Co-Executive Director, Network for Public Health Law
Phyllis Jeden, J.D., Senior Attorney, Network for Public Health Law—Mid-States Region
Alexandra Hess, J.D., M.P.H., Legal Training Manager, Center for Public Health Law Research, Temple University

Artificial Intelligence Assisted Policy Analysis and Legal Mapping

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.

Cason Schmit, J.D., Assistant Professor, Texas A&M University School of Public Health
Regen Weber-Fares, J.D., M.P.H., Postdoctoral Research Associate, Texas A&M University School of Public Health
Snigdha Peddireddy, M.P.H., Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Behavioral, Social, & Health Education Sciences, Emory University
Mara Howard-Williams, J.D., M.P.H., Legal Epidemiology Team Lead, Office of Public Health Law Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Changing the Narrative through Community-Centered Legal Epidemiology Research

This panel will explore the importance of community-centered legal epidemiology in advancing health equity by providing a framework to engage communities most impacted by structural inequities in the research process. By incorporating a community power-building framework, legal epidemiology can move beyond esoteric data analysis to create meaningful policy and structural interventions. Panelists will highlight the role of public discourse in framing public health issues and the significance of centering the voices of affected communities through real-world examples. They will also share a practical tool, the Legal Epidemiology and Community Engagement Crosswalk, to integrate community power-building principles into legal epidemiology research, along with strategies to support using this framework in practice.

Dawn Hunter, J.D., M.P.H., Founder and CEO, The Dawn Lab
Montrece Ransom, J.D., M.P.H., Director, National Coordinating Center for Public Health Training at NNPHI
Alexandra Hess, J.D., M.P.H., Legal Training Manager, Center for Public Health Law Research, Temple University

Fighting Federal Attacks on Health Care Access and Equity through Legal and Policy Advocacy

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.

Madeline Morcelle, J.D., M.P.H., Senior Attorney, National Health Law Program (NHeLP)
Mara Youdelman, J.D., LL.M., Managing Director, Federal Advocacy, National Health Law Program (NHeLP)
Sarah Somers, J.D., M.P.H., Legal Director, National Health Law Program (NHeLP)

Integration of Public Health in Climate Strategies by Major U.S. Cities: A Pragmatic Look at the Treatment of the Climate-Health Crisis in Municipal Policies

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.

Keegan Warren, J.D., LL.M., Executive Director, Institute for Healthcare Access, Texas A&M University; Principal, Future States Advisory
Patrick Murphy, M.B.A., Vice President, Sierra Club

It’s Getting Hot Out There – Law and Policy Strategies to Reduce Health Risks of Extreme Heat

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.

Betsy Lawton, J.D., Deputy Director, Climate and Health, Network for Public Health Law
Caleb Smith, Resiliency Coordinator, WeAct
Joanne Pérodin, Ph.D., Vice President of Programs, CLEO Institute

Preparing for the Next Public Health Emergency: Investment in Broadband Infrastructure to Improve Public Health Outcomes

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.

Sara Raza, LL.M., Clinical Fellow and Attorney, Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation of Harvard Law School
Seth Hoedl, Ph.D., J.D., President and Co-Founder, Post Road Foundation
Waide Warner, J.D., Chairman and Co-Founder, Post Road Foundation

The Misclassification of Misoprostol and Mifepristone as Controlled Substances – A Public Health and Legal Response

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.

Jeanie Donovan, M.P.H., M.P.Aff., Deputy Director, New Orleans Health Department
Ryann Martinek, M.P.H., Sexual and Reproductive Health Specialist, New Orleans Health Department
Ellie Schilling, J.D., Health Care Attorney, SEMM Law

back to view sessions by track

HARM REDUCTION AND OVERDOSE PREVENTION

Advancing Policy for Public Health: Using Legal Epidemiology to Advance Harm Reduction Policies to Improve Outcomes Related to HIV and Viral Hepatitis

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.

Scott Burris, J.D., Director, Center for Public Health Law Research, James E. Beasley Professor of Law, Temple University Beasley School of Law
Katie Moran-McCabe, J.D., Lead Law and Policy Analyst, Center for Public Health Law Research, James E. Beasley Professor of Law, Temple University Beasley School of Law
Tamara Rushovich, Ph.D., M.P.H., Postdoctoral Fellow, Urban Health Collaborative, Drexel Dornsife School of Public Health

Advancing Public Health and Harm Reduction Solutions to the Intersecting Crises of Homelessness and Overdose in an Era of Regressive Backlash

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.

Kate Boulton, J.D., M.P.H., Senior Legal Technical Advisor, Vital Strategies Overdose Prevention Program
Amanda Hall, M.S.W., Senior Director of National Campaigns, Dream.org
Elizabeth Green, Ph.D., Communications Director, Big Cities Health Coalition
Derek Carr, J.D., Legal Technical Advisor, Vital Strategies Overdose Prevention Program

Disability Justice: Novel Approaches to Using the Americans with Disabilities Act to Protect the Rights of People Living with Disabilities and Promote Public Health

This session will explain the historical and ongoing discrimination against people living with disabilities and explore its convergence with other forms of oppression, as well as provide an overview of innovative legal strategies to attack discrimination against people living with HIV and people living with substance use disorders. Speakers will provide steps for using these approaches to better protect the rights of people living with stigmatized conditions and promote public health.

Bianca Laureano, Ph.D, M.A., C.S.E., C.S.E.S., Foundress, ANTE UP!
Milo Inglehart, J.D., Staff Attorney, Transgender Law Center (TLC)
Amelia Caramadre, Esq., M.P.H., Attorney, Kaplan & Grady
Sean McCormick, J.D., Staff Attorney, Positive Justice Project, Center for HIV Law and Policy (CHLP)

Drug Checking for the Public Health: Lessons from Practitioners

Drug checking can be an effective harm reduction intervention on both the individual and community levels. In this session, attendees will hear from three drug checking practitioners on the ways drug checking has been implemented and how law and policy can support these vital programs.

Carmelita Cruz, J.D., Director, Office of Health Equity and Policy Initiatives, NY Department of Public Health
Thea Oliphant-Wells, M.S.W., Harm Reduction & Fentanyl Testing Program Manager, Public Health – Seattle & King County
Blake Joachim, Lead Drug Checking Coordinator, OutsideIn

The Future of Harm Reduction in an Increasingly Hostile Legal Environment

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? Hear from speakers on how the current legal environment is affecting programs on the ground, and ways to support and grow harm reduction movements into the future.

Amy Lieberman, J.D., Deputy Director, Harm Reduction Legal Project, Network for Public Health Law
Alison Newman, M.P.H., Program Operations Specialist (CEDEER), University of Washington
Corey Davis, J.D., Director, Harm Reduction Legal Project, Network for Public Health Law

Rural Pharmacies: A Community Pillar to Strengthen Harm Reduction

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.

Devin Sweat, M.S.W., L.S.W., L.A.C., Public Health Advisor, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Heidi Wood, Pharm.D., M.A.S, B.C.P.S, A.A.H.I.V.P, University of Iowa Department of Psychiatry’s Addiction and Recovery Collaborative (UI ARC)
Sophie Durham, Pharm.D., Deputy Director, Opioid and Substance Use Program, Mississippi State Department of Health

Legal Strategies and Protections in Harm Reduction

Attorneys from Vital Strategies, Northeastern University, Drug Policy Alliance, the Center for HIV Policy Innovation, the law firm Kaplan & Grady and the Network’s own Harm Reduction Legal Project have been working together to form the Legal Advocates for Harm Reduction. It is a group for harm reduction minded attorneys and legal professionals from all legal areas, not just harm reduction and public health. Our goals include working towards developing a harm reduction legal workforce and coordinated strategies to protect harm reduction programs and the people who use drugs that they serve. This session will give an overview of the group, its goals and how to get involved.

Jacqueline Seitz, J.D., Deputy Director of Health Privacy, Legal Action Center
Shanaya Desai, Dual J.D. and M.P.H. student, Temple University
Ashleigh Dennis, J.D., Attorney, Harm Reduction Legal Project, Network for Public Health Law

Innovations and the Law: Harm Reduction in Washington State

We welcome attendees to come hear from harm reductionists across our host state of Washington discuss how their programs are supported or hindered by public health and the law, and how implementation of these programs varies across different areas of the state.

Malika Lamont, Program Director, VOCAL-WA

back to view sessions by track

HEALTH AND RACIAL HEALTH EQUITY

Proyecto Luz 3.0: Navigating the Intersection of Immigration Law and Public Health in Latino Communities

Concerns about immigration laws and the laws themselves can impact immigrants’ participation in public health measures undermining efforts to control epidemics effectively. Proyecto Luz 3.0 investigates how actual and perceived immigration laws affect Latino immigrants’ willingness to engage in public health measures for infectious disease control, specifically testing/diagnosis, contact tracing, prompt medical care, and vaccination. The study is conducted in two U.S. cities with contrasting legal environments, Phoenix, AZ, and Chicago, IL.
Eight Spanish-language focus groups were conducted with 80 Latino immigrants, both documented and undocumented, and fourteen virtual interviews with professionals in Latino-serving organizations nationwide.

Seven key domains of concern at the intersection of immigration enforcement and public health engagement were identified: concerns about drawing unwanted government attention, concerns regarding the protection of public records and confidentiality, uncertainty about the stability of immigration laws, confusion related to eligibility criteria, concerns about the “public charge” rule, the desire to be perceived as a model resident, and the potential for collaboration between health departments and immigration authorities. Participants expressed that these concerns deter some groups of immigrants from engaging in public health infectious disease control efforts.

Dulce Ruelas, Dr.PH., M.P.H., Research Scientist & Associate Professor, Grand Canyon University
Carol Galletly, J.D., M.P.H., Associate Professor, Medical College of Wisconsin

Maternal Health Disparities and Local Health Department Engagement

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.

Monica Valdes Lupi, J.D., M.P.H., Managing Director, Health Program, The Kresge Foundation
Sian Elmore, Public Health Administrator, San Antonio Metropolitan Health District
Kimberly Henderson, Ph.D, Deputy Chief of Staff, Harris County Public Health
Erika Brown, MD, MBA, FACHE, Director – Community Health and Wellness Division, Harris County Public Health

How to Weave Cultural Healing in Clinical Care to Promote Community Health & Well-Being

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.

Sara Rogers, M.P.H., Senior Policy Analyst, Health Equity, Network for Public Health Law
Maria Vallejo, M.S.W. Candidate, Community Advancement Coordinator, Fairview Health Services
Christina McCoy, Manager, Community Health Equity Initiatives
Mary Anne Ligeralde Quiroz, Co-Founder & Executive Director, Indigenous Roots Cultural Arts Center

Embedding Equity in State-Wide Decision-Making to Address Root Causes of Health Inequities

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.

Cait Lang-Perez, M.P.H., Health Policy Analyst, Washington State Board of Health and the Washington State Governor’s Interagency Council on Health Disparities
Miranda Calmjoy, M.P.H., Health Policy Analyst, Washington State Board of Health and the Washington State Governor’s Interagency Council on Health Disparities
Lindsay Herendeen, M.P.H., M.C.R.P., Health Policy Analyst, Washington State Board of Heath and Governor’s Interagency Council on Health Disparities

Fighting the Anti-Anti-Racism Movement through Theory, Practice, and Litigation

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 how the law can act as both a barrier and be used as a supportive tool to challenge the sweeping measures to eradicate anti-racist public health efforts.

April Shaw, Ph.D., J.D., Acting Director, Health Equity, Network for Public Health Law
Paloma Wu, J.D., Deputy Director, George Riley Impact Litigation Initiative, Mississippi Center for Justice
Ali Rogers, M.P.H., Policy Analyst, Ingham County Health Department

Meeting The Moment: Addressing Structural Barriers to Sexual and Reproductive Health Care Access and Equity

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.

Jen Stolow, Ph.D., M.P.H., Assistant Professor, Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine
Alejandro McGhee, M.Phil, Research Assistant, Department of Health Policy & Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Madeline Morcelle, J.D. M.P.H., Senior Attorney, National Health Law Program
Amy Merceicia, Ph.D. Candidate, Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine

Centering True Lived Experience in Policies to Support Health During Reentry from Incarceration

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.

Quang H. Dang J.D., Interim Co-Executive Director, Network for Public Health Law
Emma Kaeser, J.D., Staff Attorney, Network for Public Health Law—Mid-States Region
Dorel Clayton, C.P.S.S., Community Health Worker, Transitions Clinic Network

The Public Health Case for Reparations and Insights from the Field

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.

Melissa Jones, M.P.A., Executive Director, BARHII
Brandon Greene, Esq., Director of Policy Advocacy, Western Center on Law and Poverty

back to view sessions by track

STRENGTHENING PUBLIC HEALTH PROTECTIONS

Legal Epidemiology for Health Departments: A Tool for Evaluating Policy Impacts on Population Health

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.

Scott Burris, J.D, Director, Center for Public Health Law Research, Temple University
Alexandra Hess, J.D., M.P.H., Legal Training Manager, Center for Public Health Law Research, Temple University
Elizabeth Platt, J.D., M.A., Director of Research and Operations, Center for Public Health Law Research, Temple University
Elizabeth Van Nostrand, J.D., Associate Professor, Temple University College of Public Health

Beyond Legislation: Litigation, Rulemaking, and Policy Implementation to Promote Health Equity

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.

Sarah de Guia, J.D., Chief Executive Officer, ChangeLab Solutions
Sabrina Adler, J.D., Vice President of Law, ChangeLab Solutions
Alexis Etow, J.D., Managing Director, ChangeLab Solutions
Maya Watts, J.D., Managing Director, ChangeLab Solutions

Challenges and Opportunities in Public Health Under the Trump Administration

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.

Scott Burris, J.D., Director, Center for Public Health Law Research, James E. Beasley Professor of Law, Temple University Beasley School of Law
Mehreen Butt, J.D., Managing Director, Center for Health Policy and Law, Northeastern University of Law
Sabrina Adler, J.D., Vice President of Law, ChangeLab Solutions

The Case for Modernizing Public Health Systems Through Better Governance

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.

Darlene Huang Briggs, J.D., M.P.H., Deputy Director of Special Projects, Network for Public Health Law
Megan McClaire, M.S.P.H., Chief Program Officer, Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB)
Marisa Bremer, Program Manager, Institute of Responsive Government

Strengthening Public Health: Navigating Authority, Data Use, and Legal Resources

This dynamic panel session will provide a comprehensive exploration of key issues shaping public health practice today. The session will address:

(1) The shifts in legal and regulatory frameworks impact public health authority, governance, and the ability to respond to emerging challenges.
(2) DUAs: when are required and challenges & best practices
(3) New Resource: CSTE Public Health Law Repository

Attendees will leave with actionable strategies and resources to strengthen public health decision-making and collaboration

Sunbal Virk, J.D., L.L.M, Public Health Attorney, Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists
Taylor Pinsent, M.P.H., Senior Program Analyst, Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists

Banning Menthol Cigarettes: The Fight for Health Justice in the Face of Industry Racism and Regulatory Incompetence

This session to recap the decades of work by public health advocates, lawyers, and researchers to advance evidence based policy in the face of relentless and racist industry targeting and federal regulatory indifference and incompetence.

Colleen Healy Boufides, J.D., Senior Staff Attorney, Commercial Tobacco Control Programs, Public Health Law Center
Mark Meaney, J.D., M.A., Director, Commercial Tobacco Control Programs, Public Health Law Center
Andrew Twinamatsiko, J.D., LL.B, Director, Center for Health Policy and the Law, O’Neill Institute

Navigating Roadblocks and Detours: Impact of Preemption, Policy Changes, and Funding Cuts on Public Health

This session examines recent public health policy changes at the federal and state levels, including major shifts in climate policy, federal cuts to public health funding and infrastructure, and increased use of state preemption to limit local authority—with disproportionate impact on marginalized and vulnerable populations. Presenters will discuss how these changes have collectively undermined efforts to address climate change, respond effectively to current infectious disease outbreaks, and inhibit local governments’ ability to enact policies that promote public health within their communities.

Allison Winnike, J.D., Director, Western Region, Network for Public Health Law
Amy Cook, J.D., Senior Law and Policy Analyst, Center for Public Health Law Research
Jill Krueger, J.D., Director, Climate Health Team, Network for Public Health Law

back to view sessions by track

PUBLIC HEALTH DATA ACCESS, SHARING, AND PRIVACY

Advancing Health Equity Through Community Information Exchanges (CIEs)

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.

Stephen Murphy, J.D., Director, Network for Public Health Law—Mid-States Region
Emma Kaeser, J.D., Staff Attorney, Network for Public Health Law—Mid-States Region
Meghan Mead, J.D., Deputy Director, Network for Public Health—Mid-States Region

Modernizing Data for Public Impact: Strategies for Secure Release and Smarter System

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.

Deja Kemp, Esq., Director of Legal Policy, AISP; and Research Faculty, University of Pennsylvania
Jennifer Schitter, M.P.H., Director of Public Health Data, Big Cities Health Coalition (BCHC)
Taylor Pinsent, M.P.H, Senior Program Analyst, Surveillance and Informatics Program, Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE)
Willysha Jenkins, Senior Advisor, Data Modernization and Informatics, Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB)

Navigating Legal Barriers to Cross-Jurisdictional Public Health Data Sharing

Hundreds of siloed public health data systems hinder the timely and effective exchange of critical public health data to help keep our communities healthy. CDC’s Data Modernization Initiative aims to establish a new public health information system governed by a cohesive framework. Achieving this goal requires public health partners across all levels of government to navigate complex legal and policy landscapes. This panel examines the challenges and opportunities for public health data sharing.

Fallon Cochlin, J.D., Postdoctoral Research Associate, Texas A&M University School of Public Health
Jami Crespo, J.D., M.P.A., Senior Attorney, ChangeLab Solutions
Regen Weber-Fares, J.D., M.P.H., Postdoctoral Research Associate, eTxas A&M University School of Public Health
Tara Ramanathan Holiday, J.D., M.P.H., Branch Chief for Data Policy, Research and Translation Public Health, CDC’s Public Health Law Program

Disaggregating Public Health Data by Race and Ethnicity to Improve Public Health

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.

Leslie Zellers, J.D., Public Health Attorney
Amy Vertal, M.P.H., Senior Program Manager for Census and Data Equity, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
Mar Velez, M.P.H., Director of Policy, Latino Coalition for a Healthy California
Lloyd Feng, Senior Data Policy Coordinator, CACF

Privacy at the Crossroads: Adapting to New Regulations and Developments

Join us for a special in-person 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.

Stephen Murphy, J.D., Director, Network for Public Health Law—Mid-States Region
Meghan Mead, J.D., Deputy Director, Network for Public Health Law—Mid-States Region

State Health Departments and Tribes: A New Public Health Data Sharing Approach and Model

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.

Chris Alibrandi O’Connor, J.D., Managing Director and Owner, Chris Alibrandi O’Connor Consulting
Peter Reckmeyer, J.D., Senior Legal Counsel, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium

Protect and Share: Empowering data sharing with ethical governance and social license to address disparities in marginalized communities.

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.

Cason Schmit, J.D., Assistant Professor, Texas A&M University
Deja Kemp, Esq., Director of Legal Policy, Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy
Isabel Algrant, M.S., Assistant Director of Training and Technical Assistance, Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy
Meghan O’Connell, M.D., M.P.H, Chief Public Health Officer, Great Plans Tribal Leaders’ Health Board

Is TEFCA a panacea? What TEFCA solves, what it doesn’t solve, and how you can use it

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.

Lillian M. Colasurdo, J.D., M.E.L.P., Director of Public Health Law & Data Sharing, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO)
Nichole Sweeney, J.D., General Counsel and Chief Privacy Officer, CRISP