Tag: advocacy

Public Health Law in the 21st Century: Exploring Authority, Equity, and Advocacy

Course Objectives

  • Describe how law serves as a foundation for public health practice.
  • Provide examples of how law serves as a social determinant of health.
  • Identify efforts to limit or diminish public health authority and how these efforts impact public health outcomes.
  • Provide examples of how law can be used to advance health and racial equity.
  • Highlight activities under way to strengthen public health advocacy at the local, state, and national levels.

Date: April 4, 2023

Presenter:
Montrece Ransom, JD, MPH, ACC
Director, National Coordinating Center for Public Health Training 

Dawn Hunter, JD, MPH
Director, Southwestern Regional Network for Public Health Law


Montrece Ransom, JD, MPH and Dawn Hunter, JD, MPH present on public health law fundamentals. The presenters begin by explaining the basics of law in the United States and how it realtes to public health. They then discuss landmark supreme court cases and changes to public health authority since the COVID-19 pandemic. The presenters go on to discuss law as a tool for equity and racism as a public health crisis. Finally, the presenters explain how law can be used as a tool for public health practice.

Participants will be able to:

  • Describe how law serves as a foundation for public health practice.
  • Provide examples of how law serves as a social determinant of health
  • Identify efforts to limit or diminish public health authority and how these efforts impact public health outcomes.
  • Provide examples of how law can be used to advance health and racial equity.
  • Highlight activities under way to strengthen public health advocacy at the local, state, and national levels.
Community Engagement: The People’s Approach to Improving Health and Social Outcomes

Course Objective

  • Define community engagement
  • Discuss why community engagement is critical in advancing health and social equity
  • Describe the role of local health departments (LHDs) in engaging local communities and their leaders in the design, implementation, and evaluation of health interventions and policies
  • List best practices, strategies, and participatory processes for community dialogue and engagement
  • Discuss ways to integrate community engagement in public health practice

Date: June 30th 2021

Subject  Matter Expert: 
Renata Schiavo, PhD, MA, CCL
Senior Lecturer, Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University; Founder and Board President, Health Equity Initiative; Principal, Strategies for Equity and Communication Impact (SECI)


This course developed by the Region 2 Public Health Training Center (PHTC) focuses on community engagement, and the role of local health departments in engaging local communities. It focuses on strategies for “true” community engagement, which is about collaborating with and empowering local communities, and recognizing the expert in every community member and every leader representing the community. It also provides an overview of case studies, best practices and strategies for community dialogue and engagement and/or integrating community engagement in public health practice.

Participants will be able to:

  1. Define community engagement
  2. Discuss why community engagement is critical in advancing health and social equity
  3. Describe the role of local health departments (LHDs) in engaging local communities and their leaders in the design, implementation, and evaluation of health interventions and policies
  4. List best practices, strategies, and participatory processes for community dialogue and engagement
  5. Discuss ways to integrate community engagement in public health practice
Region 2 Public Health Training Center