As set forth in the Blueprint for Public Health Excellence, one of the recommendations made by the Special Commission was for the Office of Local and Regional Health (OLRH) to engage partners and provide ongoing support for local public health systems improvement.
Created in November 2022, the Engagement and Policy Unit aims to strengthen the Massachusetts local public health system by partnering with local entities to ensure their voices are heard, they are informed, and their needs are being met. This work allows us to maintain ongoing collaborations with a network of partners who play an active role in shaping OLRH's development, policies, and procedures, all in support of local public health.
Engagement
Our office is dedicated to working with, and on behalf of, local public health across Massachusetts. We are eager to hear from our internal and external partners how we may best contribute to improving local public health services and resources for all. We participate in a number of working groups as part of this collective effort:
Policy
Our office works closely with the DPH Legislative Affairs team to monitor ongoing and upcoming federal, state, and local policies and their potential impact on local public health.
Communication
Our office supports local public health by providing regular webinars, newsletters, and email updates about emerging local public health topics. If you are interested in receiving these communications or engaging with our office, please reach out via email at localregionalpublichealth@mass.gov.