Public Health

Public Health is a critical area of focus for local and state government agencies, involving health promotion, disease prevention, and preparedness for health emergencies within communities. Governments are responsible for implementing public health policies, managing healthcare services, and responding to crises like pandemics. This directory provides articles on public health, along with related topics like SafeGov, which covers strategies and initiatives for protecting the well-being and security of the public through effective governance.

Advocacy, public health and medical specialty organizations signed a nine-page joint letter describing the ambulance bed crisis in a series of stories
A Rialto captain, an FF-medic and an engineer are contesting disciplinary actions taken against them
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced the plan, which also includes training for EMS providers on helping sexual assault survivors
Forty-six percent of Florida midterm voters said they were very concerned about climate change. Among Florida independents, 51% expressed great concern, slightly higher than independents nationally.
While fire-deterring sprinkler systems are now mandated by law in high-rise construction, older buildings like Cedar High Apartments are not required to improve their fire protection unless there is substantial remodeling or a change in the type of occupancy.
Many activists have called for drug companies to not only be sued but also face criminal charges. An investigation is a step in that direction.
A new initiative seeks to use a broad-based approach to partnership building within communities — involving schools, governments, nonprofits, businesses and individuals — to support children from cradle to career.
E-cigarettes first appeared in the U.S. more than a decade ago and have grown into a multibillion-dollar industry despite little research on their long-term effects.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned that the planet’s heating beyond 1.5°C will increase the frequency and intensity of climate impacts
Officials with the Huntsville, Alabama, public housing authority had little to say after an investigation found multiple units with an average level of radioactivity above the level that radon contractors say calls for specialized ventilation systems to remove it.
Advocates are hoping congressional legislation will align the HUD definition of homelessness with that of other federal agencies, so that more children, teens and young adults experiencing homelessness can access services.
Bloomberg left office with nearly two-thirds of voters saying he made the city better, according to a Quinnipiac University poll, and a long list of important mayoral moments.
Though still a work in progress, Chicago Lawn is no longer the South Side neighborhood of violent repute, and it may just be a model that helps struggling neighborhoods across the country.
For South Bend, Indiana, a complicated water quality issue required a smart approach — a smart sewer system to be precise
According to a new report from the National Judicial Opioid Task Force, courts need to address the opioid epidemic from a public health perspective.
L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley Thomas and Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg have called for California to enact a legal imperative to provide a roof for every homeless individual and family.
Opportunity zones offer tax incentives for those who choose to invest in distressed communities, but there is little oversight of how money is spent and the effect it has on communities
The state just launched a new public health campaign to tackle rising meth use, but without change to state laws, real recovery may not be possible.
For former President Barack Obama, economic inequality and climate change are intimately linked, and this dynamic makes it difficult to mobilize people around taking collective action.