National Public Health Law Inititatives

The Public Health Law Center at the William Mitchell College of Law and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation are working collaboratively to bolster the growing field of public health law. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has awarded a grant to the Public Health Law Center, a leading legal resource on health improvement, to develop a network of experts and to provide legal technical assistance, analysis, coordination and training to public health professionals, lawyers and health advocacy organizations across the United States.

The project is led by Dan Stier, formerly with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Public Health Law Program, where he served as liaison to the attorneys within state health departments, and former chief legal counsel to Wisconsin's health and social services department.  Also leading the project is former Minnesota Assistant Attorney General Doug Blanke, who directs the Public Health Law Center.

The success of life-saving smoke-free air laws, seat belt and helmet laws, immunization laws and other statutes, regulations and policies demonstrates that the use of law is among the most powerful health improvement strategies. It is as essential to public health as surveillance, evaluation and communications. This investment will support public health professionals, legal counsel and advocates in their use of and advocacy for public health laws that make it easier for people to make healthy choices and help all Americans live healthier lives.