Dear colleagues,
I'm highlighting a few things here, and encourage you to read through all the items below - there's a lot of important info from a busy week.
Sad news
Longtime MHOA member and public health leader Leonard Izzo, Senior, passed away this week. He was the health director in multiple towns in the Milford area for many years, and his son, Leonard Izzo, is Wellesley's director and also an MHOA member. Our thoughts are with the Izzo family as they both mourn and honor the life of Lenny Sr, a champion for local public health. His obituary is here.
Budget cuts
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health shared this week that cuts to ARPA funding will impact local public health. PHE funding is not affected. Local public health will be affected by reduced funding to METRIK, the Performance Standards and MHOA Subject Matter Expert (SME) programs. MHOA will lose funding; we are in the process of figuring out what that looks like. I do not expect to have to lay off MHOA staff. We are working collaboratively with OLRH and thinking creatively about how to minimize the impact on MHOA, our programs and our staff & members.
When cuts like this happen, for me it highlights the importance of ensuring those in leadership understand local public health and the valuable role its professionals play in communities. There are two upcoming educational opportunities to share your knowledge, experience, and passion with state leaders...
Local Public Health Advocacy
Three SAPHE 2.0 hearings will be held in the coming weeks. While we sometimes participate in hearings to advocate for a bill to be passed, these hearings are different. When SAPHE 2.0 passed last fall, it included opportunities for anyone to share their ideas, experiences, and vision for the Massachusetts local public health system with DPH. You can register to speak, attend to listen, submit testimony, or do all of the above! Now's the time to showcase the amazing work you do every day and the difference it makes, and what you need to continue to make it all happen. Instructions for participating are here.
Additionally, we're celebrating Public Health Excellence Day on Oct. 23 at the Massachusetts State House.
You're invited to a special gathering of legislators, local public health leaders, and partners to celebrate SAPHE 2.0, five years of the PHE program, and strengthen our shared commitment to building a stronger, more connected public health system. If you've never been to the state house for an educational (not lobbying!) event like this, this is your chance!
I'm grateful to the Massachusetts Public Health Alliance who is leading this event with support from the Coalition for Local Public Health.
Register here ASAP so we can plan.
Quarterly Meeting + Conference
Today is the last day to register for Animal Control and Zoonotic Diseases on Thursday, 9/18. We have a great program planned and hope you'll join us! This program has fewer registrants than we typically have at September Quarterly Meetings - if you have feedback about why you aren't able to attend, we would appreciate it! Was it the topic? Location? Cost? Something else? Email cnatal@mhoa.com so our education committee can plan accordingly for future trainings.
Today is the last day for regular conference registration. We enter "Late Registration" tomorrow, with a price increase. Once you are registered, you'll receive the hotel block booking info. Rooms in the MHOA block are nearly sold out - rooms elsewhere are expected to be available.
Can you help?
MHOA member Terence Hayes is inquiring if other municipalities have gone from individual onsite septic systems to town sewer. He's looking for procedures that were used, including what courts were used – district, housing, or superior? Please email Terence.Hayes@town.barnstable.ma.us if you can share your experience.
Regards,
Teresa Wood Kett, executive director
