Balancing state and federal authority in public health

Public Health Authority

Public Health Authority frequently faces tension between state and federal governments when addressing health and environmental issues. Analyzing this balance, the post explores how powers interact in areas like vaccine policies, substance regulation, and environmental protections. Students are tasked with creating a visual representation of these shared authorities in action.

In this creative writing assignment, you will take on the role of an advocate and analyze how federal and state powers interact in addressing public, health, and environmental issues. Utilize the First Amendment, your state constitution, and any other documents needed. Select a topic from the list below and create a (one-page) visual representation—such as a brochure, a flyer, or infographic—that shows how your state’s government shares power with the federal government on your chosen topic.

Topics:

COVID-19    Vaccine policies   Regulation of substances such as tobacco and cannabis   Human trafficking   Environment: The right to clean air and water   Regulation of Class IV drug policies: Legal (ex. opioids) v. illegal  

Tips! It is recommended that you use one of the following for your Creative Writing Assignment:

An MS Word document template for flyersLinks to an external site. or brochuresLinks to an external site. A PowerPoint slide Links to an external site. if you choose to do a creative writing, you can use the template