Legal lens of strategic planning

Law is a critical tool for public health departments to achieve maximum impact on top priorities. Including analysis of state and local code into the strategic planning process can help departments bring focus to their legal scope, highlight important legal responsibilities, and identify opportunities to advance important health initiatives.

As in many communities, in 2012 the New Orleans municipal code included provisions established in earlier decades under an outdated public health model. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Public Health Law Program (PHLP) guided NOHD in a review of the local code and co-facilitated meetings between NOHD and other government entities responsible for health provisions in the law. After these meetings, the PHLP prepared a report with in-depth analysis of local laws and comparative examples of legal language from similar communities across the country. NOHD utilized the outputs of these meetings and the analysis as part of its strategic planning process for accreditation. The department used the legal analysis to highlight opportunities to adjust the local code to reflect appropriate authorities and responsibilities for the department based on current capacity and practice. The process has clarified roles and responsibilities among entities and strengthened relationships with partners.

NOHD finalized its strategic plan in January 2013 and is actively pursuing updates to the code that will support advancement of its main strategic priorities.