What is Public Health?

What is Public Health?

Per the American Public Health Association (APHA):

"Public health promotes and protects the health of people and the communities where they live, learn, work and play.  While a doctor treats people who are sick, those of us working in public health try to prevent people from getting sick or injured in the first place. We also promote wellness by encouraging healthy behaviors." Learn More on the APHA's Website.

As of 2025, public health departments throughout Massachusetts are moving to adopt the "Foundational Public Health Services" (FPHS) framework with the guidance of the State's Office of Local and Regional Health.  The FPHS Framework offers a common language to communicate how local public health agencies in Massachusetts impact the residents they serve. Establishing a unified language and a minimum set of public health services statewide will encourage communication, resulting in enhanced efficiency and ensuring that all residents have equitable access to FPHS across the entire state.

Originally created by the national Public Health Leadership Forum, the FPHS model is now housed with the Public Health National Center for Innovations (PHNCI) at the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) and has been adopted by many other states across the nation. The FPHS was revised in 2022 to ensure its language reflects the evolving nature and modernization of governmental public health. You can click on the image below to open a PDF that provides further information and detail.