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PHMC’s Attorney General Candidates’ Forum Addresses Key Public Health Crises Impacting Pennsylvanians
PHILADELPHIA (April 5, 2024) – Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC), the region’s largest public health institute, convened four Pennsylvania Attorney General candidates on April 4 to discuss the critical public health issues impacting the Commonwealth as part of “Public Health in Pennsylvania: A 2024 Attorney General Candidates’ Forum,” held in partnership with Pennsylvania Secretary of Human Services Valerie Arkoosh, MD, MPH.
Pennsylvania Attorney General candidates Keir Bradford-Gray, partner at Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads LLP; Eric Settle, former senior counsel at AmeriHealth Caritas; Jared Solomon, Pennsylvania State Representative, 202nd Legislative District; and Jack Stollsteimer, Delaware County District Attorney, participated in the forum. WHYY host and producer of The Pulse, Maiken Scott, moderated the conversation at PHMC’s Philadelphia headquarters.
The candidates gathered during National Public Health Week (April 1-7, 2024) to answer questions submitted by the public and discuss how they would use the office to confront pressing public health concerns, including substance use and gun violence. Each of these issues, often underscored by interconnected crises of security, poverty and safety, pose a significant challenge for Pennsylvania’s next attorney general.
“As a leader in public health, PHMC is honored to host several of Pennsylvania’s Attorney General candidates for an important discussion about the public health problems impacting communities across Philadelphia and Pennsylvania,” said Michael K. Pearson, President and CEO, PHMC. “These crises are complex, and closely connected with social determinants of health, including poverty, education and access to care. Our goal is to help foster open dialogue and identify cross-section solutions to improve outcomes and quality of life.”
The key issues discussed are outlined below:
Substance Use, Treatment & Recovery
The substance use epidemic has proliferated into communities across the state with more individuals dying annually from overdoses than from shootings. In 2021, 5,168 Pennsylvanians died from overdoses – an average of 14 Pennsylvanians every day. At the same time, a historically underfunded treatment and recovery system has become extraordinarily strained, disincentivizing providers and forcing closures of much-needed programs.
To hear how the candidates addressed substance use challenges, please click here to view their responses, starting at 23:26 in the video.
Gun Violence
Gun violence impacts every member of the Commonwealth, but disproportionately harms communities of color, those experiencing poverty, housing insecurity, and a lack of access to health care. In Philadelphia in 2021, the number of juvenile homicide victims was more than three times that of youth under 18 killed in 2015. This striking trend is also reflected across the state, with more than 1,500 Pennsylvanians dying from gun violence each year.
To hear how the candidates addressed gun violence challenges, please click here to view their responses, starting at 50:05 in the video.
As the leading public health institute in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, hosting this forum is essential to ensure residents understand the Attorney General candidates’ perspectives on pressing public health issues before going to vote in the Pennsylvania primary election on April 23, 2024.
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About PHMC
Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC) is a nonprofit public health institute that creates and sustains healthier communities. PHMC uses best practices to improve community health through direct service, partnership, innovation, policy, research, technical assistance and a prepared workforce. PHMC has served the region since 1972. For more information on PHMC, visit www.phmc.org.
