03/27/2026

Support Local Public Health in the FY27 House Budget

Contact your state rep by April 10

Dear partner in public health,

As a member of the Coalition for Local Public Health, MHOA is partnering with the Massachusetts Public Health Alliance to mobilize the workforce in support of state funding for local public health in the FY27 state budget.

In a milestone victory, the Governor included full funding ($15M) for local boards of health in her FY27 budget recommendation. Now it is up to us to keep the momentum going and make sure the legislature follows suit. Right now, the Massachusetts House of Representatives is preparing to release their proposal for the state’s FY27 budget. This is a critical juncture in our state’s budget cycle, which means the House needs to hear from constituents/the workforce about the value of public health to make sure our priorities are reflected in their decision-making.

Taking action is as easy as 1-2-3:

• LOCATE your State Representative and their contact information by clicking here. (Just enter your address, click on the profile for your representative, and look for the email next to their photo.)
• CALL OR EMAIL advocating for $15M in the FY27 budget for line item 4512-2022. You can find templates to support your advocacy by clicking here.
• CC OR BCC kforrest@mapublichealth.org on your interactions so MPHA can keep track of who is taking action!

Finally, we want to be sensitive to the fact that many of you work for local government and may face restrictions with regard to lobbying. If you are interested in participating but feel hesitant for this reason, forward this message to your personal email account and reach out to your Representative on personal time using your personal phone or laptop. If you have any questions, please reach out to Kate Forrest (kforrest@mapublichealth.org) for assistance.

Thank you for your partnership and advocacy!