Aaron Guest, PhD, MPH, speaker of the Governing Council, presides at a meeting.
Photo by The Nation’s Health
APHA has nearly two dozen new policy statements on the books, thanks to the work of its members.
At APHA’s 2021 Annual Meeting and Expo in October, the Association’s Governing Council adopted 21 new member-authored policy statements, covering topics such as physical education, personal debt, contraceptive access and noise. The statements also address major public health crises engulfing the nation, including the COVID-19 pandemic, health inequities and the opioid epidemic.
Two of the policy statements, on threats to public health practice and Medicaid coverage after giving birth, were latebreakers — submitted after the regular submission deadline — and will serve on an interim basis for one year. Finalized statements are expected to be available on the APHA website in January.
Additionally during the Annual Meeting, council members discussed the program emphasis for APHA’s 2023 Annual Meeting in Atlanta, choosing the relationship between public health capacity and social and ethical challenges as the focus. The emphasis will be used to develop the wording for the meeting theme.
APHA members are invited to email their suggestions for the program emphasis for APHA’s 2024 Annual Meeting and Expo to governance{at}apha.org. Submissions will be considered by APHA’s Science Board.
Among its other work, the Governing Council held elections for APHA’s highest offices, choosing APHA’s next president and Executive Board members. Councilors also took part in roundtables with other APHA leaders on work to expand mentoring programs and improve orientation for new members.
The Governing Council also adopted an amendment to APHA’s Bylaws. The measure streamlines the APHA Action Board to 17 members, bringing it in line with the Association’s Science and Education Boards. The change is expected to improve the effectiveness of the board.
In 2022, the Governing Council is scheduled to conduct business during its June midyear conference call and during the APHA’s 2022 Annual Meeting and Expo in Boston.
For more on APHA’s Governing Council, email courtney.taylor{at}apha.org.
Policy statements adopted by Governing Council at APHA 2021
20211 Supporting Physical Education in Schools for All Youth
20212 Prevention of Lower Extremity Amputation Due to Non-Traumatic Loss of Sensation and Loss of Circulation
20213 Comprehensive Approach to Suicide Prevention within a Public Health Framework
20214 Advancing Public Health and Equity through Prevention and Reengagement of Disconnected (Opportunity) Youth
20215 A Call to Improving Patient and Public Health Outcomes of Diabetes Through an Enhanced Integrated Care Approach
20216 The Impact of Individual and Household Debt on Health and Well-Being
20217 Decriminalization of and Support for Self-Managed Abortions
20218 A Call for Urgent Actions to Address Health Inequities in the U.S. Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic and Response
20219 Adopting a Single-Payer Health System
202110 Opposing Coercion in Contraceptive Access and Care to Promote Reproductive Health Equity
202111 Sexual and Gender Minority Demographic Data: Inclusion in Medical Records, National Surveys, and Public Health Research
202112 Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Importance of Universal Health Care in Addressing Health Care Inequities
202113 An Equitable Response to the Ongoing Opioid Crisis
202114 Improving the Role of Health Departments in Activities Related to Abortion
202115 Noise as a Public Health Hazard
202116 Ensuring Equity in Transportation and Land Use Decisions to Promote Health and Well-Being in Metropolitan Areas
202117 Advancing Public Health Interventions to Address the Harms of the Carceral System
202118 Preparing Public Schools in the U.S. for the Next Public Health Emergency: Lessons Learned from COVID-19
202119 Preventing Violations of Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights in Immigration Detention Centers
Two statements were proposed after the regular submission deadline and will serve on an interim basis.
LB21-01 Address Threats to Public Health Practice
LB21-02 Expanding Medicaid Coverage for Birthing People to One-Year Postpartum
- Copyright The Nation’s Health, American Public Health Association
