Untapped Potential: Public Health Department Authority to Address the Fallout from the Pandemic, Structural Racism, and Other Public Health Crises

Local public health agencies and officials have long had a critical place in protecting communities. Traditionally, their role has largely encompassed several core functions, such as tracking vital statistics, ensuring food safety and sanitation, overseeing certain laboratory services, and engaging in public health education. Today, public health is commonly understood to encompass a wide and growing range of issues that address the fundamental resources people need to thrive, often referred to as the social determinants of health (SDOH). These SDOH include access to healthcare, quality education, strong community bonds, economic stability, and healthy neighborhoods.2 As the definition of “public health” expands, so could the ability of public health agencies and officials to address the SDOH and combat a greater variety of public ills. (Click here to read the PDF)