Granite Strong, Future Ready: Why Public Health Action Matters Now in New Hampshire
Today kicks off National Public Health Week. From now through April 12, the American Public Health Association leads a national moment of learning, recognition, and reflection on the role public health plays in our lives and communities. This year’s theme—Ready. Set. Action!—is a timely reminder that good health doesn’t happen by accident. It takes intention, investment, and collective effort. When we prioritize public health, we build a more equitable and healthier future for everyone.
Here in New Hampshire, that commitment remains strong—but it is also being tested.
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Several bills currently circulating in the state raise real concerns about access, equity, and evidence-based care. HB 1719 would remove the Hepatitis B vaccine from school and childcare requirements, setting a precedent that could gradually erode longstanding protections. HB 1584 would require exemption notices on all vaccine communications and loosen religious exemption requirements, potentially discouraging vaccination at a critical moment for families making decisions about their children’s health. HB 524, now framed as a study committee on the New Hampshire Vaccine Association, risks undermining a program that has consistently delivered results—keeping administrative costs low while ensuring that all children have access to recommended vaccines regardless of insurance status. HB 1449 would restrict school-based vaccine clinics, removing one of the most effective and accessible pathways for working families to protect their children.
These proposals come at a time when the importance of strong, coordinated public health systems could not be clearer.
There are also meaningful signs of progress. Over the past year, New Hampshire has secured significant investments in mental health, including roughly $100 million in federal funding to strengthen services and improve care coordination across community mental health centers. More than $240 million has been directed toward rural health initiatives, helping address longstanding gaps in access. Efforts are also underway to expand maternity care in rural areas, including innovative training tools for EMS providers, and to strengthen recovery supports for substance use disorder through expanded funding and community-based programs.
At the same time, communities across the state continue to lead. Events like the “You’re Not Alone” initiative highlight the importance of suicide prevention and mental health awareness. Cancer support efforts—from local fundraisers to statewide walks—bring people together in shared purpose. Programs like Unified Track and Field continue to demonstrate how inclusion and health go hand in hand.
Public health is not abstract. It is visible in these investments, these programs, and the people who carry them forward every day.
It is also personal. It shows up in whether a child can access a vaccine, whether a family can find care close to home, and whether communities have the resources they need to support one another.
That is why this week matters.
It is a time to recognize the work already being done—and the people behind it. The medical professionals, community health workers, researchers, advocates, and local leaders who make healthier communities possible deserve our thanks and our support.
It is also a moment to stay engaged. To ask questions, seek out trusted information, and stand behind science-based approaches to health. Organizations like the New Hampshire Public Health Association play a critical role in helping people navigate these issues and stay informed.
Finally, as we celebrate all things public health, let’s use what we’ve learned over the last year as motivation to move things in a positive direction in the future. I hope you’ll join us for the New Hampshire Public Health Association’s annual meeting on Thursday, April 23, 2026. The focus is Granite Strong. Future Ready. It will be an evening of learning, recognition, and celebration. A call to action in support of public health in New Hampshire and beyond.