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Legislation and Policy

Resources to support legislation and policy at the state and federal levels.

National Legislation and Policy

  • ACPM Policy Compendium - (American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM))  - Practice policy statements, public policy statements, position statements, and patient education statements consistent with scientific principles of the discipline of preventive medicine.
  • AMCHP's Current Legislative Agenda - (Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP))  - AMCHP works to strengthen national policy and increase resources for maternal and child health programs.
  • APHA Legislative Issues and Advocacy - (American Public Health Association (APHA))  - APHA works to shape public policy to address ongoing public health concerns such as ensuring access to care, protecting funding for core public health programs and services, and eliminating health disparities.
  • ASPH Public Health Advocacy - (Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH))  - Information on ASPH advocacy efforts and links to sources of public health legislative information and resources.
  • ASTHO Advocacy - (Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO))  - ASTHO works to be the voice of state public health officials and presents public health positions, policies, and recommendations to the Congress, the Administration, and other national organizations.
  • Campaign for Children's Health Care - The campaign is dedicated to making high-quality, comprehensive, affordable health insurance coverage for all of America's children a top national priority.
  • CDC/Washington - (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)) 
  • Code of Federal Regulations - (U.S. Government Printing Office)  - The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) is the codification of the general and permanent rules published in the Federal Register by the executive departments and agencies of the U.S. Federal Government.
  • E-Health and the National Health Information Infrastructure Policy - (IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)-USA)  - IEEE-USA position statements, policy communications, and legislation related to improving the interoperability of health information systems and the capability for exchanging patient information.
  • The Federal Register - (National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) U.S.)  - The Office of the Federal Register (OFR) provides access to the official text of federal laws, presidential documents, and to administrative regulations and notices.
  • Health Education Advocate - (Coalition of National Health Education Organizations (CNHEO))  - Advocating for health education and health promotion legislation.
  • Health Information & The Law - (George Washington University Hirsh Health Law and Policy Program US, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF))  - Online guide to federal and state laws governing access, use, release, and publication of health information.
  • KaiserEDU.org - (Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF))  - Designed to provide students, faculty and others interested in learning about health policy easy access to the latest data, research, analysis, and developments in health policy.
  • Maternal and Child Health Policy Research Center - Health policy group that provides federal and state policymakers, public health officials, and provider and family organizations with analysis of financing and service delivery issues affecting children and adolescents.
  • National Health Policy Forum (NHPF) - (George Washington University)  - The National Health Policy Forum is a participant-driven, nonpartisan information exchange program that works to foster more informed government decision making.
  • Network for Public Health Law - The Network for Public Health Law provides legal assistance, helpful resources, and opportunities to build connections for local, tribal, state and federal officials; public health practitioners; attorneys; policy-makers; and advocates.
  • Partnership for Prevention: Policy and Advocacy - (Partnership for Prevention)  - Partnership for Prevention advocates optimal policies to prevent disease improve the health of all Americans. The Partnership, a membership organization of businesses, nonprofit organizations and government agencies, raises the level of knowledge in Congress about prevention and identifies strategies that can lead to a healthier nation.
  • Public Health Emergency Law Tools - (Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO))  - Toolkits that address the key information needs of public health officials in understanding and using legal authorities to prepare for and respond to public health emergencies.
  • Public Health Law Program - (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - The Public Health Law Program leads CDC's efforts to improve scientific understanding of the interaction between law and public health and to strengthen the legal foundation for public health practice.
  • Public Health Law: Emergency Preparedness - (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC))  - Self-contained training packages for use by instructors in any jurisdiction in the United States who provide public health preparedness training to front-line practitioners. The training materials on CD-ROM can be ordered for free.
  • Regulations.gov - U.S. Government Web site to find, view, and comment on regulations and other actions for all Federal agencies. The site facilitates participation in the federal regulatory process by improving the public's ability to find, view, and comment on federal regulatory actions.
  • Research!America - (Research!America)  - Information and advocacy tools on medical and health research issues including health policy and prevention and public health.
  • SOPHE Advocacy - (Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE))  - Priority health education policy issues identified by SOPHE.
  • Thomas - (Library of Congress)  - Federal legislative information including bill summary status, bill text, public laws by law number, Congressional Record text, House and Senate Committee information.
  • Trust for America's Health - (Trust for America's Health (TFAH))  - Trust for America's Health is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to saving lives by protecting the health of every community and working to make disease prevention a national priority. This site offers national and state information about public health, resources on public policy, and a topic list including cancer and annual reports about obesity, government spending and other health concerns.

State Legislation and Policy

  • 2012 State Public Health Legislative Summary - (Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO))  - State legislative summary report summarizing the activity on some of the key public health issues addressed in 2012. Topics highlighted in the report include prescription drug abuse, food safety, immunizations, and newborn screening.
  • AAP State Legislation Report - (American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP))  - Resources for advocates on children's health issues like Medicaid, injury and violence prevention, immunizations, and many others.
  • ASTHO State Health Policy - (Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO))  - ASTHO's State Health Policy team tracks and analyzes legislation across the states to identify trends and emerging issues impacting public health and state health agencies.
  • Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Division of Federal-State Relations - The Division participates in cooperative and educational efforts designed to inform industry, health professionals, and the public about FDA's functions and its commitment to safeguard the public health. DFSR interacts with, and serves as the focal point for cooperating state and local officials, and associations of these state officials, to promote cohesive and uniform policies and activities in food and drug-related matters.
  • Health Information & The Law - (George Washington University Hirsh Health Law and Policy Program US, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF))  - Online guide to federal and state laws governing access, use, release, and publication of health information.
  • LawAtlas: Policy Surveillance Portal - (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF))  - This is a gateway to key laws aimed at improving our health or access to health care. It includes interactive maps, policy surveillance reports, and downloadable data.
  • NASCIO State Search - (National Association of State Information Resource Executives Representing Chief Information Officers of the States (NASCIO))  - CIO contact information, professional biographies, state government links, and state statistics.
  • National Conference of State Legislatures - Health - (National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL))  - This is the portal to NCSL's health resources which include over 30 legislative tracking pages as well as information on many state health and public health policy areas.
  • State Cancer Legislative Database (SCLD) Program - A specialized database produced by the National Cancer Institute, which provides synthesized information relating to developments in state cancer prevention and control legislation and related policy activities.
  • State School Health Policy Database - National Association of State Boards of Education''s (NASBE) searchable database of written state policies (legal codes, rules, standards, administrative orders, mandates, resolutions, or other means of exercising authority) concerning key areas of school health policy. Site provides a clickable map of the United States and is also searchable by state name or school health topic. Priority topics include: general health education; HIV, STD and pregnancy prevention; asthma management; tobacco use prevention; violence and bullying prevention; mental health services; and physical activity and nutrition policies. Site provides a state-by-state comparison by topic and federal laws, mandates, and rules relating to school health policy.
  • UCLA Center for Health Policy Research - (University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) USA)  - Its mission is to improves the public's health by advancing health policy through research, public service, community partnership, and education.

Local Legislation and Policy

  • NACCHO Public Health Advocacy - (National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO))  - NACCHO informs policy makers of the critical role local health departments play in keeping our communities healthy and safe.
  • NALBOH Advocacy - (National Association of Local Boards of Health (NALBOH))  - Information, tools, and other resources to empower NALBOH members and others to communicate with their policymakers at the local, state, and federal level.
  • Network for Public Health Law - The Network for Public Health Law provides legal assistance, helpful resources, and opportunities to build connections for local, tribal, state and federal officials; public health practitioners; attorneys; policy-makers; and advocates.