Public Meeting Notice  Preventive Health and Human Services Block Grant — June 18, 2025

The Department of Public Health and the Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant Advisory Committee are seeking public comment for the priorities for the Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant.  Enclosed you will find a Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant summary, which includes federal fiscal year 2025 program priorities. 

The remote open meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, June 18, 2025, from 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.

Join the meeting now

Phone information:

• 1-857-327-9245
• Conference ID number: 156 671 999#

Written comments can also be made to:

Tracy Evans
PHHS Block Grant Coordinator 
Bureau of Community Health & Prevention
250 Washington Street, Floor 4
Boston, MA 02108
Email:  Tracy.Evans@mass.gov

This hearing provides a forum for Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant funded agencies as well as other public health professionals and consumers to share their thoughts with the Department concerning Program priorities. I encourage you to participate on June 18, 2025.

If you have any questions about the hearing, you may contact Tracy Evans (see above). Thank you.

Elizabeth Barry
Deputy Director, Bureau of Community Health & Prevention
Preventive Health & Health Services Block Grant Program         

Additional information:

The Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant was established in 1981 as a flexible way for states to address priority health concerns, focusing on “Healthy People 2030” objectives and prevention.  In Massachusetts, this grant has served as a crucial tool in achieving the state’s Public Health Core Functions: Assessment, Policy, and Assurance.

At both the state and community levels, the PHHS Block Grant ensures the presence of necessary infrastructure to address the ten Essential Public Health Services.  These funds serve as the cornerstone upon which other services and initiatives are built.  Integrated with state and federal funding, they ensure Massachusetts can continue to improve outcomes for populations that have previously had poor outcomes and sustain essential public health services such as assessment and prevention.  The State used the following criteria to select projects from MDPH Offices and Bureaus for allocation of funding in Federal FY2025:

• Healthy People 2030 Objectives
• Compliance with Maintenance of Effort requirements
• Focus on primary and secondary prevention
• Consistent with the State Health Assessment (SHA) and Improvement Plan (SHIP)
• Focus on building/maintaining public health infrastructure

Program goals are briefly outlined along with the estimated allocation of funding:

State and Local Public Health Infrastructure – Aims to build healthier communities across Massachusetts by investing in the public health workforce and strengthening collaboration across organizations.  Key strategies include standardized, available training through the TRAIN-MA platform and partnership development via the Coalition for Local Public Health (CLPH).  The program prioritizes access to high-quality public health services for all residents, regardless of location.  It incorporates continuous quality improvement aligned with National CLAS Standards to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery.  Additionally, it supports coordinated efforts to prevent and manage chronic diseases, reduce associated risk factors, implement community-level interventions, advancing environmental strategies, health system improvements, community-clinical linkages, and public health surveillance. - $1,017,312 

Data Systems - Enhance the public health data infrastructure by investing in MDPHnet, a surveillance system based on primary care data, which is well-equipped to address the social determinants of health. This work also strengthens other critical systems, including Vital records, the Massachusetts Ambulance Trip Record Information System, the Trauma Registry, and the CLAS Quality Improvement project. Efforts focus on improving the timeliness, quality, and completeness of essential data, such as birth and death records, to better support public health programs and research. In collaboration with partners in disease surveillance, informatics, and population health, the program expands the technical capabilities and use of MDPHnet.  Collectively, these investments build a stronger epidemiological infrastructure and support data-driven decision-making and resource allocation across the Commonwealth. - $697,730

Community Investments - Increase opportunities for people, particularly populations that have experienced previous poor health outcomes, to access health-supporting behaviors, specifically access to healthy, affordable foods and opportunities for safe physical activity and active transportation, to address the need to reduce and prevent obesity and other chronic diseases.  This work includes training, technical assistance, and direct support to hospitals, community-based organizations, municipal governments, and resident groups to strengthen local capacity and increase investment in community conditions that impact health.  It focuses on building and sustaining coalitions and partnerships that promote healthier environments and improve outcomes, especially in communities facing the highest burden of disease.  Additionally, this supports efforts to prevent and respond to sexual and domestic violence by funding services for survivors, providing training for service providers, and implementing prevention programming statewide. - $2,501,930