Public Health Law Research Project

PHDoC Meeting, January 15, 2010

What is COPHPBRN?

Colorado Public Health Practice-Based Research Network

Began in December 2008

Collaboration with CALPHO/Alliance, CSPH, CDPHE

Create a network of researchers and practitioners working together to do research that directly informs practice.

Purpose of the CO PHPBRN

PBRNs allow practicing public health professionals to collaborate with researchers in designing, implementing, evaluating, and diffusing solutions to real-world problems in public health practice. 

Successful PBRNs identify relevant questions and link them with rigorous research methods applied within actual practice settings.  The result of this collaboration is scientific information that is relevant to practice, externally valid, and readily adopted into practice.

CO PHPBRN Founding Steering Committee

Alyson Shupe, CDPHE (State PH)Heath Harmon, Boulder (Local PH)Kyle Legleiter, Prowers (Local PH)Lorann Stallones, CSU (CSPH)Lucinda Bryant, CU-Denver (CSPH)Sheana Bull, CU-Denver (CSPH)Snip Young, Consultant

(State/National/Academia)Tista Ghosh, Tri-county (Local PH)OPP Representative, CDPHE (State PH)

Public Health Law: Types of Law

• Interventional Public Health Law• Laws intended to influence health outcomes or mediators• Example: Primary Seat Belt Laws

• Infrastructural Public Health Law• Laws establishing the powers, duties, and structure of public

health agencies• Example: Colorado Public Health Act of 2008

• Incidental Public Health Law• Laws, regardless of topic or purpose, that are studied for their

impact on public health• Example: Zoning Ordinances/Laws

PHLR Grantees – Round 1

National Program Office: Temple University, Beasley School of Law

The Use of Law and Policy in

Regional Approaches to

Local Public Health Service Delivery

Grant Period: December 1, 2009 – May 31, 2011

Issue Statement

• Regionalization is commonly referenced as a “solution” to issues of providing comprehensive public health services to small and rural populations.

• There is little information about optimal structure for regional approaches.

• Local officials are making decisions about regional approaches without clear information.

Research Questions/Aims

1. Characterize public health laws that directly impact regionalization to assess how state laws in 10 states impact at the local level.

2. How does the Colorado Public Health Act of 2008 (CO PHA08) encourage or discourage regional approaches?

3. How do the current regional approaches to agency structure and service delivery in CO utilize formal and informal legal instruments to develop and maintain regional approaches?

Research Phases

Phase 1 – National review of sample of 10 state public health laws that directly impact regionalization and regional approaches (RAs) to local public health

Phase 2 – Legal and practice analysis of CO PHA08 in terms of impact on RAs

Phase 3 – Mapping study of RAs in CO including analysis of legal instruments used to implement and maintain the approaches and a qualitative study of determinants of legal or structural barriers to RAs

Consultants/Contractors

James Hodge, JD, LL.M

Ed Dauer, LL.B, MPH

Sue Warren, JD, MPH

Project Advisory Committee

Glenn Schlabs, Chairperson

LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH Jackie Brown Mark Johnson Rick Ritter

STATE PUBLIC HEALTH Dana Erpelding (invited) Kathleen Matthews Alyson Shupe (FSC representative)

ATTORNEYS Shaun Sullivan (Denver City Atty) Ann Hause (invited)

Others??

What does this mean for LPHAs?

Time and effort requestedComplete surveyRespond to invitation for participation in sample• Participate in interview

Informing practice in ColoradoCDPHE policies, county policies, state laws, PHA08

PHAB Accreditation documentation measurement 6.1.2 B (Evaluate the need for changes

in laws) under standard 6.1.B (Review existing laws and work with governing entities and elected officials to update as needed).

Your thoughts?

What concerns do you have?

What benefits do you see?for your agency, staff, others