The SAPHE 2.0 Bill Advances
 
Great news! The Statewide Accelerated Public Health for Every Community Act (SAPHE 2.0 | H4328) recently earned a favorable report from the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing! Thanks to Senate Chair Cindy Friedman, House Chair John Lawn, Jr. and Health Care Financing Committee members for their strong support. The bill now moves to the House Ways and Means Committee. We are grateful to our legislative champions – Senator Jo Comerford, Chair Denise Garlick, and Representative Hannah Kane – for advancing this critical legislation, which will establish minimum public health standards for every community, credential public health workers, create uniform data collection and reporting systems and build a state funding mechanism for local and regional boards of health. Stay tuned for more information on how you can help SAPHE 2.0 cross the finish line!
Early Bird Discounts Available for Spring Awards Breakfast
 
MPHA can’t wait to hold our first in-person event in more than two years! Join us on June 3 at the State Room in Boston for our 20th Annual Spring Awards Breakfast honoring public health champions Dr. Ashish Jha, Phoebe Walker, and Chien Chi-Huang. Keynote remarks will be provided by Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Dr. Bisolo Ojikutu. You can help honor the awardees by sponsoring the event, placing an advertisement in the program or by purchasing a ticket. Early bird ticket discounts are available to both members and nonmembers until April 22. Learn more here.
Take Action for Transit Justice!
 
MPHA and the RTA Advocates Coalition recently hosted two successful regional transit roundtables on the South Coast and in the Pioneer Valley, and more are in the works! Hosted in partnership with local organizations, the roundtables bring advocates and community members together with decision-makers to share strategies for improving public transit services in their communities. Key initiatives include supporting funding for Regional Transportation Authorities (RTAs) in the FY23 budget and advocating for the RTA Advancement Bill. Help us keep the momentum going! Please contact your state legislators and ask them to prioritize transit justice in the FY23 budget by asking for $101M to support base operations for RTAs!
Eviction Report Reveals Deep Inequities

Eviction filings have devastating impacts on communities, but not all communities are affected equally. A new statewide report by Homes for All Massachusetts and MIT’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning reveals that low-income Black and Latine communities in Massachusetts have experienced higher rates of eviction during the COVID-19 pandemic than largely white neighborhoods. Single mothers and those renting from corporate landlords experienced the highest rates of eviction. Read the full report here.
Your Help Needed to Stabilize Housing!

Currently, the House and Senate are working to resolve differences between their respective versions of the FY22 supplemental budget. Please take a moment today to thank your legislators for their support thus far and ask them to help ensure that the final supplemental budget includes the Senate language to restore emergency rental assistance benefit levels and strengthen homelessness prevention efforts. These critical language changes will help ensure families and individuals across the Commonwealth remain safe and stably housed! Learn more and take action here.
MPHA Budget Letter Urges Investments in Equity 

MPHA recently submitted our annual budget request to the Massachusetts Legislature, encouraging investments in health equity. For FY23, we are requesting funding for local public health, transportation justice, housing stabilization, healthy food access and chronic disease prevention. These investments will help our Commonwealth continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and ensure a healthier and more equitable future. Click here to learn more.
Massachusetts Public Health Association
(857) 263-7072 | @mapublichealth | mapublichealth.org
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