BOSTON, MA – Today, the Massachusetts Public Health Association (MPHA) issued the following statement in response to the release of the House and Senate Conference Committee’s ARPA bill, which allocates $200M towards improving the state’s local public health system.   

“This marks a major step forward in the effort to transform our dangerously inadequate and inequitable local public health system,” said Maddie Ribble, Director of Public Policy at the Massachusetts Public Health Association. “Thanks to the funding allocated in this bill, Massachusetts will move closer to a 21^st-century local public health system that our state can be proud of. We are extremely grateful for the support of Senate President Spilka, House Speaker Mariano, Chair Rodrigues, Chair Michlewitz, Chair Hunt, and Chair Decker for their support of these critical investments, as well as for the unflagging leadership of Sen. Comerford, Chair Garlick, and Rep. Kane.”  

“We are disappointed that essential policy reforms to address the significant structural challenges in our local health system were not included in the final conference bill. As a result, it is more critical than ever that the SAPHE 2.0 legislation is passed quickly into law,” said Ribble. “Funding is only part of the solution. To really fix this broken system, we must implement the policy changes that are desperately needed, as well.”  

Read the full release.