Recent Highlights:

• Supporting passage of two successful ballot measures in November 2022: Question 1, the Fair Share Amendment, and Question 4 for Safer Roads.
• Leading the successful effort to secure $200M in federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) funds to help transform the Commonwealth’s local public health system.
• In partnership with the Coalition for Local Public Health, advocating successfully for the first-ever line item in the state budget to fund local public health, including $15 million for FY 22.
• Responding to the COVID-19 pandemic on multiple fronts, including:
  • Convening the Task Force on Coronavirus & Equity to advocate for critical policies. The Task Force helped pass the strongest eviction and foreclosure moratorium in the country, Emergency Paid Sick Time legislation, and the Data Equity Bill, which required the collection of COVID infection and death data by race, ethnicity, language and other equity markers.
  • Co-founding the Vaccine Equity Now! Coalition to advocate for the equitable distribution of vaccines and the allocation of state resources to communities hardest hit by the virus. The Coalition’s Equity Principles also provide guidance to employers in developing and implementing vaccine policies.

Previous Successes:

• Securing both operating and capital dollars over several years for the MA Food Trust Program, which provides loans and grants to local businesses to sell healthy and affordable food in areas of the state with limited food access.
• Passing the State Action for Public Health Excellence (SAPHE) Bill to begin implementing the recommendations of the Special Commission on Local & Regional Public Health. Now in statute as Chapter 72 of the Acts of 2020, it increases training for members of the local public health workforce and provides funding incentives to cities and towns to encourage the sharing of services across municipal boundaries.
• Leading the push for continued state funding for the Mass in Motion Program, which promotes opportunities for healthy eating and active living throughout the Commonwealth.
• Organizing the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) Advocates Coalition, which has successfully advocated for increased state funding for public transportation in cities and towns across the state.
• Helping to found the Coalition for Local Public Health, which is dedicated to promoting healthy communities in Massachusetts through strong Boards of Health and Health Departments. 
• Working with our allies to convene the Alliance for Community Health Integration, a coalition of public health, consumer advocacy, social service, and community organizations working to harness the power of the health care system to promote health equity and address the social needs of patients.
• Passing legislation to create the Special Commission on Local Public Health, which will allow the Commonwealth to strengthen the local public health system and provide essential protections for all communities (2016).
• Passing legislation to create the Massachusetts Food Trust Program, which increases local retailers’ capacity to offer healthy, affordable foods in communities that need it most (2014).
• Passing the Active Streets Bill as part of the Transportation Bond Bill (2014), and securing commitment of $20 million from MassDOT to implement the Complete Streets Program (2014).
• Establishing the Prevention and Wellness Trust Fund in cost containment legislation, funded at $60 million over 4 years (2012).
• Passing School Nutrition Legislation (2010) to strengthen school nutrition regulations (2011), and convene the School Nutrition Implementation Working Group (2011-2012).