Public health laws affect health not only through their substance and design but also through implementation and enforcement. Traditional implementation and enforcement models often include design flaws that result in uneven implementation, increased health disparities, and limited efficacy. Equitable policymaking requires implementation that respects and works for everyone, with careful attention to the steps of the policy process that follow policy enactment — including enforcement, evaluation, and revision — all of which are necessary to ensure that public health laws have their intended effect.
A new article on the Milbank Blog — Equitable Implementation of Public Health Laws Helps Ensure That Everyone Benefits by Maya Hazarika Watts, Jessica Breslin, and Katie Michel of ChangeLab Solutions, as well as Elizabeth Tobin-Tyler of the School of Public Health at Brown University — explores structural deficiencies of traditional enforcement models and offers recommendations for state and local officials committed to equitable enforcement and implementation of public health laws.
10/22/2024
