With the coronavirus spreading across Massachusetts, MPHA is working on multiple fronts to confront the epidemic. On the policy side, we are working to ensure that equity is at the center of the state’s response, so that marginalized communities do not bear the brunt of the epidemic and its economic impacts. At the same time, MPHA is helping to address the critical challenges faced by local public health departments tasked with tracking cases, recommending testing, enforcing quarantine and more.

Advancing Equity-Based Policies

In the early days of the epidemic, MPHA convened a Task Force on Coronavirus & Equity to rapidly develop policy recommendations. Co-chaired by Sandro Galea, MD, Dean of the Boston University School of Public Health and Cheryl Bartlett, RN, CEO of the Greater New Bedford Community Health Center and former Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, the Task Force has called on policy makers to immediately act on the following policy priorities to support those most impacted by the outbreak and its economic repercussions:

• Ensure Access to Testing, Quarantine and Treatment for Everyone
• Ensure Complete Data Collection that Informs Action for Equity, and
• Respond to the Needs of Marginalized Communities.

We have had a tremendous response to this effort, with more than 150 organizations endorsing the Task Force’s initial recommendations and several critical policy victories, including the passage and subsequent extension of the nation’s strongest Moratorium on Evictions and Foreclosures. More recently, the Task Force has transitioned into two action teams focused on:

• Ensuring a safe, equitable reopening and recovery, and
• Advocating for a progressive approach to investing in our state’s recovery.

In addition, the Task Force is recommending action on several additional policy priorities to mitigate the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on Black and Brown communities, poor communities, immigrant communities and others who have been disproportionately impacted. For a full list of our policy recommendations, click here.

Learn More About the Task Force

List of Task Force Members

Supporting Local Boards of Health

Across Massachusetts, local boards of health are working to slow the spread of COVID-19 by investigating known and suspected cases, recommending and enforcing quarantine and isolation, making testing recommendations, and reporting to state public health officials. Their work is essential and all-too-often invisible.

To help connect the state’s COVID-19 Command Center with local public health departments and districts, MPHA and our partners have developed a network of seven Crisis Affiliates, collectively responsible for supporting and directing state resources to local health departments in 227 municipalities. We are also supporting the 15 existing Health Districts (collections of municipalities that had previously come together to share public health responsibilities) through troubleshooting and information sharing.

In an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19 in Massachusetts, MPHA is also supporting the efforts of local boards of health, volunteers from academic institutions, and the state’s COVID-19 Command Center to implement comprehensive contact tracing across the state.

Learn More About MPHA’s Support for Local Boards of Health

Resources for the Community

If you are looking for medical information, financial assistance, help with applying for unemployment or other public benefits, worker assistance, or other information, visit our COVID-19 resource page.