The Public Health Law Practitioners Convening: Supporting the Public Health Attorneys and Policy Professionals Who Support the Public Health System highlights the significance of the inaugural Public Health Law Practitioners Convening in addressing COVID-19 and other public health issues by collaborating with other attorneys and public health practitioners through law and policy.

The Public Health Law Practitioners Convening, organized by the National Association of County and City Health officials (NACCHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), was created to bring attorneys, policy professionals, and other public health practitioners together to expand the use of law and policy in public health. As the COVID-19 pandemic has shaped the future of public health, it has become even more important to the best practices when using law and policy. In our article, “Supporting the Public Health Attorneys and Policy Professionals Who Support the Public Health System,” discusses how the convening brought people together at a critical time and the role law and policy play in the response to COVID-19 and general practice, as well as the upcoming 2024 convening.

The inaugural Public Health Law Convening was the first of its kind and took place in August 2022 in Chicago. The primary objective was to support the crucial role of legal and policy professionals in responding to COVID-19 and advancing public health more broadly. The event emphasized the importance of peer-learning, relationship building, sharing innovative practices, and promoting equity in public health work. The convening drew attendees across the public health system, including state, local, tribal, and territorial government agencies, community organizations, and academic institutions.

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To ensure the convening’s content was relevant to the needs of the attendees, a steering committee of practitioners from various organizations across the nation were selected to identify critical topics in the practice of public health law and policy as well as select thought-leading speakers who would lead those conversations. Some of the topics that were touched upon were addressing public health system, legal epidemiology, the enforcement of laws, COVID-19 response, and many more. All these topics were addressed during several breakout sessions throughout the Convening. Among the topics under discussion were those which addressed the public health activities which were heavily impacted by attorneys and policy professionals such as emergency declarations, administrative preparedness, and non-pharmaceutical interventions.

The Convening’s impact was assessed through an evaluation conducted by NACCHO’s Research and Evaluation team. The results revealed high levels of attendee satisfaction with 75% agreeing that the event met expectations. Around 81% believed the convening was conductive to peer exchange and networking, and 77% agreed that the knowledge gained would improve their work or practice. Notably, 88% believe they would use the knowledge gained to improve their work, and 59% planned to implement practices learned in their communities, indicating the practical applicability of the content.

The 2022 Convening created a space where public health attorneys and policy-focused professionals could learn from each other, identify promising practices, and understand how to best support public health practitioners and leadership within their jurisdictions of practice. In addition, this event also shined a light on the critical role played by legal practitioners and policy professionals on the COVID-19 response across the country. NACCHO hopes to continue these conversations in future convenings.

The next Public Health Law Practitioners Convening will take place April 30 to May 2, 2024, in New Orleans! The theme for this convening will be Empowering Public Health Through Law and Policy. NACCHO’s goal for these convenings is to give attendees a comprehensive approach to public health from the lens of law and policy, providing them with the legal tools necessary to foster the wellbeing of the community. Registration has officially opened, and we look forward to seeing you there! To learn more about the convening, check out our article “Supporting the Public Health Attorneys and Policy Professionals Who Support the Public Health System.“

Geoffrey Mwaungulu Jr is the Director of Public Health Law and Policy at the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO). His work is focused on building the capacity of local health departments to fully utilize law and policy to positively impact the health of their communities.

Rachel Siegel is a Senior Manager of Strategic Initiatives at MassHealth, managing the operationalization of the state’s Section 1115 Waiver-related health quality and equity efforts. Her expertise is in multi-sector collaboration, program management, and organizational development. In her work, Rachel fosters curiosity and strong relationships to advance health equity.