February 13, 2025

ASU Law Center for Public Health Law and Policy is a leading force in advancing public health and wellness nationwide

The Center for Public Health Law and Policy at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University is a leader in health care law, public health law, policy and ethics. It drives numerous initiatives to address critical issues, from analyzing legal frameworks surrounding public health data to collaborating with the federal Administration of Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) and the Arizona Department of Health Services on emergency legal preparedness and response. The center plays a key role in shaping the field.

“These issues are among the top priorities on national and state agendas – not just this year, but every year,” said James G. Hodge, Jr., Peter Kiewit Foundation professor of law and director of the Center for Public Health Law and Policy.

The center provides students with hands-on experience through real-world projects, equipping them with practical skills in the field.

Kyrah Berthiaume, a second-year JD student, is gaining invaluable experience at the center to further her career in public health policy. 

“At the center, I have the opportunity to develop legal research and writing skills while also diving deep into public health and health care issues that are relevant today,” she explained. “The inquiries Professor Hodge has allowed me to explore give me a broader understanding of these topics than I would get from class alone. This depth will help me engage more effectively with the material.”

Among the center’s initiatives, Hodge and Berthiaume regularly share the U.S. Supreme Court - Public Health Law Update brief. This national briefing presents key public health law and policy cases slated for decisions by the Court, offering an overview of relevant cases, petitions, oral arguments and other developments with significant implications for the field. It reaches thousands of health law and other colleagues each month.

Additionally, the center has been instrumental in organizing national and regional conferences such as the American Society of Law, Medicine and Ethics Health Law Professors’ Conference, which it hosted in 2012 and 2022.

The center’s projects and initiatives continue to evolve, reflecting trends in public health law and policy. One initiative involves emergency legal preparedness for avian flu.

“We’re working with federal and state officials, media and others to closely monitor core legal and policy developments, including emergency declarations, regarding this health threat. We’re ready to engage in what I call ‘legal triage’ efforts if the threat escalates rapidly,” said Hodge. “As with COVID-19, our 24/7 work on these issues responds to the real-time legal concerns that invariably arise. We work to develop law and policy solutions that equip public health officials and health care workers with available protections, guidance and options they need to appropriately respond.”

ASU’s Center for Public Health Law and Policy continues to make significant impacts by addressing critical public health issues, shaping policy and preparing the next generations of leaders in health law. As it adapts to emerging challenges and trends in public health, the center’s ongoing work promises to play a key role in improving health outcomes and influencing policy decisions for years to come.

For information on the health and wellbeing area of expertise, visit law.asu.edu/health-and-wellbeing

Written by Crystal Jimenez