Boston, MA – A coalition of racial justice, immigrant advocacy, and public health leaders unveiled a detailed report card which shows that the Baker administration left behind marginalized communities in its COVID-19 vaccination distribution.
The report card gives the Baker administration Bs, Cs, Ds and Fs in four key aspects of the COVID vaccine distribution efforts. It grades the administration on both its “intent” to consider equity in the vaccine distribution as well as the “outcome” of their approach to equity.
“While Massachusetts can point to strong overall rates of vaccinations, this data obscures the inequities for historically marginalized communities,” said Elizabeth Sweet, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy (MIRA) Coalition. “For example, the mass-vaccination sites that were set up in April and May 2021 favored those that could take time off of work and had access to a personal vehicle. Barriers like these proved burdensome for people of color, immigrant communities, and low-income populations. Moving forward, we hope the next Administration better accounts for equity in the public health space – and in all areas of governing.”
The following table breaks down the four “equity criteria” used by the Vaccine Equity Now! Coalition, as well as the specific grades the coalition issued for both “intent” and “outcome” on these equity criteria.
BOSTON, MA – Today, municipal leaders from cities and towns across the state’s Regional Transit Authority (RTA) service areas, including Gateway Cities, sent a letter to the members of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, asking them to pass An Act to Improve and Expand Regional Transit Accessibility in the Commonwealth (S.2277), filed by State Senator Harriette Chandler and Representative Natalie Blais.The bill, which was reported out favorably by the Joint Committee on Transportation in February, would stabilize funding for RTAs and pave the way for better, more affordable public transportation service in Massachusetts. Passage of the bill would also mark a critical step towards achieving greater regional equity in the allocation of state public transportation dollars.
“As municipal leaders, we represent a wide variety of cities and towns. Our communities are different in many ways, from population to geography and demographics. But we share a commitment to improving regional public transportation options – both to improve the lives of our constituents and to help meet the state’s climate change goals,” said Mayor Brian De Peña of Lawrence.
“All Massachusetts residents deserve access to high quality public transportation services,” said Mayor Coogan of Fall River. “Residents of our communities rely on transit services to access jobs, schools, grocery stores, and medical appointments. It is crucial to provide a system that meets these core needs.”
The Commonwealth’s 15 RTAs and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) are the backbone of the state’s public transportation system. Though 55% of Massachusetts residents live in an RTA service area, less than 7% of state transit operational funds go to support the RTAs.
“We cannot allow the status quo for transportation in Massachusetts to stand any longer,” said State Senator Harriette Chandler of Worcester. “Our constituents are overwhelmed by record inflation, skyrocketing gas prices, a global pandemic, wealth disparities, and climate change. We need policies in place that will efficiently and equitably support our communities in managing the effects of these crises.”
BOSTON, MA – Today, the Massachusetts Public Health Association (MPHA) announced the release of a candidate questionnaire for current candidates in the Massachusetts governor’s race. The questionnaire asks each candidate to provide details on their public health-related platforms, including their position on creating a cabinet-level position to oversee public health policies statewide.
“The COVID pandemic has made it crystal clear that we need a robust public health system to keep us all safe and healthy. But here in Massachusetts we also witnessed the fallout – in delayed decision-making, confused priorities and poor planning – that resulted because public health leadership was not in direct communication with the governor,” said Carlene Pavlos, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Public Health Association. “If we are serious about reducing health inequities, the state’s public health leader must have a seat at the table with the other cabinet secretaries when policy is being made about the full range of issues that impact health – from the environment to food access to transportation.”
The questionnaire covers a broad range of public health policies, from strategies for reducing opioid abuse and improving air quality to continued support for COVID-19 testing and vaccination, increasing access to affordable housing and public transportation, reducing health inequities, and transforming the local public health system.
Boston, MA – Today, the Massachusetts Public Health Association (MPHA) presented awards to five health equity leaders at its 20th Anniversary Spring Awards Breakfast. The event, which was attended by more than 250 healthcare and public health leaders from around the Commonwealth, was held in the State Room at 60 State Street in Boston.
The organization’s highest honor, the Paul Revere Award for Lifetime Achievement, was given to Ashish Jha, MD, PhD, who served as the Dean of the Brown University School of Public Health until he was appointed recently by President Biden as Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response. He is recognized globally as an expert on pandemic preparedness and response as well as on domestic and global health policy.
The Catalyst for Justice Award was presented jointly to Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Boston Public Health Commission Executive Director Dr. Bisola Ojikutu “for centering equity in public health policy and practice”. Together, Mayor Wu and Dr. Ojikutu have championed transparency, reliance on clear data benchmarks, and a commitment to health equity in the city’s response to COVID-19. They have also focused on achieving more equitable health outcomes by working to improve the social conditions in which Boston residents live, including access to healthy food and stable affordable housing.
Boston, MA – Today, dozens of public health leaders, elected officials, and local public health professionals gathered on the State House steps for an in-person rally, calling for the creation of a 21st-century local public health system for Massachusetts. They urged the legislature to pass the Statewide Accelerated Public Health for Every Community Act (SAPHE 2.0) in order to realize the vision laid out three years ago by the Special Commission on Local and Regional Public Health.
“Massachusetts is making exciting new investments in local public health,” said State Senator Jo Comerford. “But funding alone is not enough. We must also enact the significant policy reforms that are needed to create a truly effective local public health system.”
“Our local and regional public health system was fractured before, and the COVID public health crisis has nearly broken it,” said Representative Denise Garlick. “We have invested ARPA resources and must ensure legislative language is in place so those funds are properly used to build a truly equitable local public health system for every Massachusetts resident.”
“It has been three years since the release of the recommendations of the Special Commission on Local and Regional Public Health,” said State Representative Hannah Kane. “Working together, we have made significant progress towards addressing the issues identified by the Commission. As the Legislature’s formal session comes to a close, we need to pass SAPHE 2.0 across the finish line.”
“Investing in public health makes good economic sense,” said Eileen McAnneny, President of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation. “The local public health system is critical infrastructure that keeps our communities safe and our economy thriving.”
“It’s time for Massachusetts to create a 21st-century local public health system,” said Kristina Kimani, Assistant Policy Director for the Massachusetts Public Health Association. “We have the roadmap, thanks to the work of the Special Commission on Local and Regional Public Health. Now we must implement it.”
BOSTON, MA – Today, Prisoners’ Legal Services of Massachusetts (PLS) held a press conference at the Massachusetts State House in response to the Massachusetts House’s recent proposal to increase funding for the incarceration of people civilly committed for treatment of substance use disorder (SUD), under the statute known as Section 35 (M.G.L. c.123 s.35). The current budget is poised to funnel $21.9 million into the Department of Corrections’ Massachusetts Alcohol and Substance Abuse Center (MASAC) facility and $2.5 million into the Section 35 facility operated by the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department, respectively.
Speakers – including public health experts and directly impacted people – urged the passage of amendments 332 and 333 by Representative Ruth Balser to redirect the money away from correctional facilities and into health care settings.
“Substance and alcohol use disorders are medical conditions that deserve prompt diagnosis and treatment,” said Dr. Todd Kerensky, President of the Massachusetts Society of Addiction Medicine. “As with all medical conditions, people should expect treatment to be grounded in the four principles of medical ethics: autonomy, do good (beneficence), do no harm (non-maleficence), and justice. We can have a reasonable debate about whether involuntary treatment is potentially helpful or harmful. However, putting people in jail to receive treatment is unjust. Having a substance or alcohol use disorder is not a crime.”
BOSTON, MA – Today, two years after a state of emergency was declared in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Massachusetts Public Health Association (MPHA) called on state leaders to rebuild and reimagine the role of public health in Massachusetts.
“The COVID-19 pandemic taught us many hard lessons. The failure to center both equity and public health expertise in the state’s response to the pandemic cost us dearly,” said Carlene Pavlos, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Public Health Association. “Now, we must commit to building a 21st-century public health system that will provide robust protections to all Massachusetts residents, regardless of income, race or zip code.”
Given that public health will be a central issue in this election cycle, MPHA will be asking gubernatorial candidates to fill out a questionnaire regarding their public health-related platforms.
BOSTON, MA – Today, the Massachusetts Public Health Association (MPHA) criticized a 33% proposed cut to local public health in Governor Baker’s fiscal year 2023 budget.
“A proposed cut to local public health in the midst of a continuing global pandemic defies both logic and common sense,” said Carlene Pavlos, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Public Health Association. “It is made all the more egregious by the fact that the administration continues to place an enormous amount of responsibility on the shoulders of local boards of health.”
The $5M cut proposed to the “Public Health Excellence Grant Program” at the Department of Public Health would negatively impact public health capacity and staffing in communities across the Commonwealth.
“MPHA will work with our legislative allies to ensure that the House and the Senate budgets include the needed resources for our local boards of health,” continued Pavlos. “As they continue their essential work to deliver vaccines, conduct tests, and enforce public health guidance, local public health workers need and deserve the support of state policymakers.” ##
BOSTON, MA – In preparation for tomorrow’s hearing by the Joint Committee on COVID-19 and Emergency Preparedness Management, the Massachusetts Public Health Association (MPHA) has issued an open list of questions for Governor Charlie Baker and Secretary Marilou Sudders.
“This is an opportunity to understand the reasoning behind the administration’s failure to implement common-sense measures, including a universal mask mandate,” said MPHA Executive Director Carlene Pavlos. “We need legislators to ask tough questions as we face this overwhelming surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.”
MPHA encourages legislators and members of the media to ask the following questions:
1. Universal indoor mask wearing is a simple and effective strategy to reduce transmission. Gov. Baker, in the midst of an unprecedented COVID surge that is overwhelming our hospitals, what is preventing you from implementing a statewide indoor mask mandate?
2. There is broad agreement on the importance of keeping schools open. The state has extended the mask mandate in public schools to reduce the spread. Gov. Baker, why are you jeopardizing in-person learning by refusing to implement a universal indoor mask mandate to prevent spread in other indoor environments?
3. The state has distributed millions of rapid antigen tests. However, there is no state-specific guidance on their use, and there is widespread confusion about the most effective way that residents can use these tests and whether they should report the results. Gov. Baker, what is your strategy for using rapid tests to slow the spread?
The Massachusetts Public Health Association (MPHA) is a nonprofit organization that promotes a healthy Massachusetts through advocacy, community organizing, and coalition building. We are leaders in the movement to create health equity by addressing the root causes of health and wellness. We promote policies that impact the major drivers of health outcomes, such as access to healthy food, safe affordable housing, and transportation. We also advocate for equitable public health services throughout the Commonwealth. To learn more, visit www.mapublichealth.org. ###
BOSTON, MA – Today, the Massachusetts Public Health Association (MPHA) praised the Joint Committee on Public Health for issuing a favorable report on the Statewide Accelerated Public Health for Every Community Act (SAPHE 2.0). This landmark bill would create minimum public health standards for every Massachusetts community, ensure a qualified workforce by credentialing public health workers, incentivize municipalities to share services, create a uniform data collection and reporting system, and dedicate state funding to support local boards of health and health departments.
“This favorable report from the Public Health Committee marks an important step forward in the effort to transform our broken local public health system,” said Kristina Kimani, Assistant Policy Director at the Massachusetts Public Health Association. “The SAPHE 2.0 bill contains the critical policy solutions that Massachusetts needs to ensure that all residents benefit from effective public health protections. We are extremely grateful to Public Health Committee Chairs Marjorie Decker and Jo Comerford for their leadership and support, as well as for the unwavering commitment of the bill’s three sponsors, Chair Jo Comerford, Chair Denise Garlick, and Rep. Hannah Kane.”
MPHA is part of a coalition of local and state officials, public health experts and academic leaders that have been calling on the Legislature to take urgent action to improve the local public health system in Massachusetts.
Massachusetts Public Health Alliance
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