Introduction to Massachusetts Public Health System

Numerous news headlines since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 have put a spotlight on the field of public health. Unfortunately, many people still do not know the basics of the public health field even with this level of recent interest. This chapter provides a basic overview of public health, including the history and the mechanisms of our current public health system in the three levels of government. 

The field of public health is ever-evolving. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly accelerated that change. In this chapter, we have included resources that can improve the delivery of public health services with shared cross-jurisdictional services, and information on national public health frameworks.

Resources

Topic Areas & Resources