Laws and policies shape where and how individuals and communities live, learn, work, and play. For example, laws and policies can help prevent the spread of communicable diseases, ensure that food is safe for consumption, provide access to transportation, and establish guidelines for safe housing. Understanding the connection between law and health outcomes is critical for anyone who wants to leverage legal and policy tools to protect the health and well-being of individuals and communities.
Core public health law knowledge:
Having a foundational understanding of public health law.
You can explain what public health law is and why it is important for both non-lawyers and lawyers to know about.
Knowing how to navigate the legal system.
You are able to identify effective legal and policy tools that will protect the health and well-being of individuals and communities.
Understanding how different levels of government work together.
You can describe the balance of powers between the three branches of government and the types of laws they can create.
Do you know how our government balances protection of public health with protections for civil liberties? This 8-minute introduction outlines the scope of governmental public health powers and explains the importance of staying within the constitutional limits that guide public health activities.
Start with the Introduction to Public Health Law Series
Our 3-part introductory training series was designed to help aspiring and practicing public health professionals understand and use the law as an important public health tool.
Earn a training plan certificate of completion
The PHL Academy Certificate: Advancing Legal & Policy Skills for Public Health Practitioners
Public Health Law Academy trainees who earned our training plan certificate shared what they’ve learned and how they’re using the knowledge in their practices.
Start exploring our other trainings
Ready to learn more? Get started with additional training series in our comprehensive public health law learning library.
How can academic programs better train the next generation of public health practitioners to understand the connection between law and health equity? Watch our Q&A with professionals and learn more about key findings and recommendations. Then read our report, Public Health Law Training for Future Public Health Practitioners.
We’ve partnered with the Public Health Law Program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to offer the Public Health Law Fellowship, a paid opportunity that provides on-the-job training for careers in public health law or policy.
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