BROOKLINE — The Brookline Department of Public Health is pleased to share that Health Commissioner Dr. Swannie Jett has been named to the board of directors for the Massachusetts Public Health Association (MPHA).
The MPHA is a nonprofit advocacy and community organizing group that works to create health equity by addressing the root causes of disparities in health and wellness. It promotes policies that support positive health outcomes, including access to food, safe and affordable housing and transportation, as well as equitable public health services throughout Massachusetts.
Recently, the group has advocated for a cohesive response to the COVID-19 pandemic through scientific approaches to safety measures, as well as a thoughtful approach to ensuring residents who have suffered financial hardship are able to remain in their homes, especially as the outbreak is expected to worsen in the coming months.
“While the work of public health officials has never been more visible than in 2020, MPHA has long been doing essential work to support public health throughout the Commonwealth and continues to do so amid a deadly and ongoing pandemic,” Dr. Jett said. “I am honored to have the opportunity to join the numerous public health experts who make up MPHA’s board of directors and contribute to furthering that work through the conclusion of the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.”
The MPHA has also been outspoken on key issues related to COVID-19, including advocating for worker protections and expanded access to testing and care.
Dr. Jett has served as the head of Brookline’s public health department since May 2017. During his tenure Dr. Jett has been a key leader as the town addresses the COVID-19 pandemic, and his achievements include organizing a clinic to determine the extent of COVID-19 antibodies among Brookline’s first responders as well as establishing a COVID-19 test site to provide increased access to testing for members of the community.
The Massachusetts Public Health Association (MPHA), an affiliate of the American Public Health Association, is a nonprofit organization that promotes a healthy Massachusetts through advocacy, community organizing, and coalition building. In 2016, MPHA was instrumental in passing legislation to create the Special Commission on Local Public Health, which will allow the Commonwealth to strengthen the local public health system and provide essential protections for all communities.
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