Welcome

Public Health Law Association (PHLA) - Promoting healthy people and healthy communities through dialogue, partnerships, education, and research in public health law and policy.

Founded in 2003 as non-profit, membership organization, PHLA is for everyone who shapes, uses, teaches, studies or conducts research in the highly dynamic field of public health law and policy. Law is fundamental to the origin, understanding, and delivery of public health services. Law improves the likelihood that citizens nationally and globally can lead healthy, long, and productive lives. Better understanding of the law, government, the policy-making process, and the role of attorneys can in turn improve the public's health.

Join the PHLA today! Join as a Full Member with full voting privileges and other benefits, or participate as an Honorary or Student member at no cost. Please link to "How to Join" (to the right) for more information and a copy of the Membership application. Applying takes just a few minutes. And remember - PHLA is not just for attorneys or individuals with legal training in the United States. It is for everyone globally who understands or seeks knowledge about the role of law in public health practice and policy.

Call for 2010 PHLA Elections - Board of Directors - as per PHLA’s Bylaws, the 2010/2011 election of the PHLA Board of Directors is approaching.  Elections for prospective Board members for the one-year period (beginning September 15, 2010) will be held beginning August, 15, 2010. 

If you are interested in serving as a member of the Board please submit your information using the PHLA Board of Directors Election Form. While applicants must be at least twenty-one (21) years of age, they do not have to be an existing member of PHLA to be elected to the Board of Directors. Applicants’ names [and brief information as per the form] will be included on an official election Ballot and voted on by all current Full Members of PHLA. Applicants for the Board of Directors must submit their interest and information by no later than August 10, 2010.

2010 PHLA Awards ~ Thanks to everyone who submitted nominations for the 2010 PHLA Awards through June 15, 2010. Specific categories for these awards include:

  • Innovations in Public Health Law and Policy ~ honors creative and innovative uses of the law to impact public policy and improve the public’s health at the local, state, tribal, or federal levels.
  • Distinguished Academic Achievement in Public Health Law, Research, and Policy ~ honors significant contributions to public health law, research, or policy through academic research or publication.
  • Promotion of Civil or Human Rights in Public Health ~ honors the promotion of civil or human rights to advance the public’s health, or use of public health law to contribute to civil or human rights initiatives.
  • Emerging Leaders in Public Health Law ~ honors an individual (at the student or professional level) whose emerging talents or contributions demonstrate a commitment to the field of public health law, research, or policy and the promise to positively advance the role of law to protect the public’s health.
  • Public Health Law Life Time Achievement ~ honors an individual whose career accomplishments in public health law, research, or policy have significantly impacted the field or contributed to meaningful advancements in the use of law as a tool for improving public health outcomes.

PHLA award recipients will be honored at the PHLA reception at the upcoming national public health law conference on Sept. 13, 2010 in Atlanta, GA (see more below).  


Our current PHLA Newsletter - "PHLA Reporter" (June 2010) is now available.

 

Save the Date - National Public Health Law Conference ~ September 13-15, 2010

On September 13-15, 2010, ASLME, PHLA, and other partners will host the national event, Using Law, Policy, and Research to Improve the Public's Health: A National Conference in Atlanta, GA, with generous support of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. For more information and to register, please link here. Note - Full Members of the PHLA in 2010 are entitled to a $50.00 conference registration discount.