Massachusetts Establishes Ethics Advisory Committee Grounded in Principals of Equity and Justice
In 2023, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MA DPH) established the Ethics Advisory Committee, an internal body of nine diverse, cross-department staff who help the department identify ethical dimensions, articulate ethical dilemmas, and evaluate ethical issues while centering racial equity. The committee’s establishment represents the culmination of eight years of work, starting with MA DPH’s initial efforts in 2015 to prepare for accreditation with PHAB. PHIG technical assistance partners, including Health Resources in Action, PHAB, and The Dawn Lab, supported this success through intensive guidance on best practices around committee formation, reaccreditation support, and training and capacity building on public health ethical analysis. Through these efforts, MA DPH and its Ethics Advisory Committee are prepared to respond to various public health issues using an ethical framework that centers equity and justice.
