The Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health has taken a significant step forward in advancing the integration of legal education within public health curricula across the United States. In a groundbreaking initiative backed by funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the institution has announced targeted awards to support the pioneering development and teaching of Public Health Law courses in accredited U.S. schools of public health. This innovative project, titled “Teaching Public Health Law in Accredited Schools and Programs of Public Health,” is spearheaded by prominent Mailman School faculty members Magda Schaler-Haynes, JD, MPH, and Heather Krasna, PhD, and is housed within the Center for Public Health Systems in the Department of Health Policy and Management.
The urgency of this initiative is underscored by the longstanding gap in legal education within public health training programs. While the Council on Education in Public Health currently omits law from its core competencies for Master of Public Health degrees, an expanding chorus of thought leaders emphasizes that legal understanding is foundational to effective public health policy and practice. The absence of this critical knowledge has created a palpable blind spot in preparing future public health professionals to engage with the complexities of evidence-based policymaking, where legal frameworks define the scope and impact of public health interventions.
Under this program, three distinguished institutions have received $10,000 awards each to develop and implement inaugural Public Health Law courses for the 2025-2026 academic year. These awardees include the Morehouse School of Medicine’s Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine, the University of Utah’s Division of Public Health within the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, and Kent State University’s College of Public Health. Selected through a highly competitive process, these institutions represent a diverse geographic and academic cross-section, strengthening the potential for national influence.
The course offerings supported by these awards are designed not only to introduce legal principles relevant to public health but also to embed a rich, interdisciplinary pedagogy that cultivates students’ abilities to critically analyze the interplay between law, policy, and health outcomes. Receiving more than just funding, the awardees are integrated into a cohort-based mentorship framework facilitated by seasoned faculty experts. This collaboration establishes a Public Health Law Teaching Community of Practice, a dynamic forum for sharing pedagogical strategies, curricular resources, and practical insights that foster innovation and sustainment of these newly formed educational pathways.
The importance of Public Health Law education is echoed in the reflections of key project leaders. Magda Schaler-Haynes, one of the principal investigators, highlights that the analytic rigor required for evidence-based public health policy is inherently tied to a foundational grasp of both legal theory and the mechanisms by which laws shape population health. Scholars and practitioners alike recognize that public health students’ limited exposure to legal training curtails their capacity to engage effectively in policy design, legal analysis, and advocacy—a deficiency this initiative directly addresses by embedding legal expertise within public health professional training.
Faculty at recipient institutions have articulated the practical demand and enthusiasm for this educational expansion. Tom W. Brewer, PhD, M. Jur., of Kent State University notes that student feedback has consistently called for a structured course dedicated to public health law, a sentiment mirrored by health commissioners and other public health officials who seek continuing education for their teams. The curriculum developed will, therefore, not only serve academic purposes but also function as a vital resource for workforce development in public health agencies confronting increasingly complex legal landscapes.
At Morehouse School of Medicine, Assistant Professor Samantha Weber underscores the formative nature of this undertaking at a time when public health theory and practice are rapidly evolving. Training future professionals in legal competencies equips them to navigate jurisdictional nuances, interpret the legal determinants of health, and address disparities disproportionately affecting marginalized populations. Legal fluency is posited as an indispensable element in sharpening the focus on health equity and social justice within public health paradigms.
Similarly, the University of Utah positions itself at the forefront of interdisciplinary collaboration through its inaugural Public Health Law course. Led by Jennifer Dailey-Provost in partnership with Daniel Aaron, an Associate Professor of Law at the University’s College of Law, this course exemplifies a pioneering bridge between legal academia and public health education. This partnership is anticipated to model how law and public health can concertedly influence policy discourse and health outcomes, fostering graduates capable of impactful cross-sector leadership.
The project draws upon a well-curated network of faculty mentors who bring extensive expertise in both legal scholarship and public health. Among them are Stacie Kershner, Deputy Director at Georgia State University’s Center for Law, Health & Society; Montrece Ransom, a leading editor of “Public Health Law: Concepts and Case Studies” and director at the National Coordinating Center for Public Health Training; and Marice Ashe, founder of ChangeLab Solutions and renowned academic affiliated with UC Berkeley’s School of Law. Their collective mentorship enriches the Community of Practice’s capacity to develop rigorous, contextually relevant curricula that balance legal theory with applied public health challenges.
Funded under the CDC award NU38PW000025, the initiative forms part of the Consortium for Workforce Research in Public Health (CWORPH), a collaborative endeavor that investigates public health workforce needs and infrastructure. This support enables the project to embed legal literacy as a critical competency, promoting sustainable improvements in public health systems by equipping graduates not just with scientific knowledge but also with the legal acumen necessary to shape and respond to public health policy environments.
Historically, the field of public health has grappled with the need to integrate legal frameworks into the core of practice, yet few formalized educational programs have bridged these domains. This project marks a transformational advance in remedying that gap, recognizing that laws and regulations constitute structural determinants of health that influence everything from infectious disease control to chronic disease management, environmental protections, and health equity initiatives. As public health challenges become increasingly complex and multifaceted, the intersectionality of law and health policy is poised to become a defining feature of the discipline’s evolution.
The Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, with its long legacy of interdisciplinary research and education since its founding in 1922, offers a fertile environment for such innovative programming. As one of the largest NIH-grant recipients among public health schools worldwide, it leverages a global reach with faculty operating in over 100 countries, addressing pressing issues spanning infectious diseases, environmental health, maternal-child health, and climate change. This new initiative stands as a testament to the Mailman School’s commitment to cutting-edge public health education that prepares graduates to meet 21st-century challenges with comprehensive expertise.
The impact of this initiative is expected to ripple through public health education nationwide, setting a precedent for other institutions to incorporate Public Health Law into their degree programs. By fostering a community of educators and learners who are fluent in the legal contexts shaping health policy and outcomes, the project strengthens the infrastructure of public health education and practice. It also offers a replicable model for cultivating legal literacy within a scientific discipline, underscoring the necessity of multidisciplinary training in addressing complex societal challenges.
In the coming years, the project anticipates expanding its cohort, furthering the reach and depth of Public Health Law education. This expansion will ensure that future public health leaders are not only versed in epidemiology and biostatistics but are also empowered by an understanding of the legal mechanisms underpinning public health interventions. Ultimately, this initiative embodies a vital paradigm shift—recognizing that effective public health action requires mastery of both the science and the law that governs health at every level.
Subject of Research: Integration of Public Health Law Education in U.S. Schools of Public Health
Article Title: Columbia University Leads Initiative to Embed Legal Training in Public Health Curricula
News Publication Date: Information not provided
Web References:
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health: https://www.publichealth.columbia.edu
- CDC Award: NU38PW000025
- Consortium for Workforce Research in Public Health (CWORPH): https://cworph.umn.edu
- Public Health Law Concepts and Case Studies: https://www.springerpub.com/public-health-law-9780826182036.html
Keywords: Public health, Public health law, Education, Health policy, Legal training, Workforce development, Public health education
