Social determinants of health—the conditions into which people are born, grow, work, live, and age, and the wider set of forces and systems shaping the conditions of daily life—account for at least half of health outcomes.

New in Spring 2022, the Health Justice Practicum will address the interplay of law, policy, health systems, social identity, and health inequities. Students will collaborate with frontline health care providers who serve marginalized populations on projects that require legal and problem-solving skills and where providers and patients have identified a systemic problem affecting their patients’ health and wellbeing. 

Health care providers and patients at Boston Medical Center (BMC) have identified problems in Massachusetts law that significantly harms low-income parents in recovery from substance use disorders and their children, and disproportionately harms Black, Indigenous, or other people of color (BIPOC) families.

  • Children born to women in evidence-based medication-assisted recovery (e.g., methadone treatment) must be reported at birth to the Department of Children and Families as if the mother were an active drug user.
  • Children born to BIPOC mothers are more likely than children born to white mothers both to be reported to child protection authorities and to be separated from their families as a result. The trauma of custody disruption has demonstrated serious effects on both recovering parents and child health and development.

The practicum’s medical partner, Project RESPECT (Recovery, Empowerment, Social Services, Prenatal Care, Education, Community and Treatment), is a medical and behavioral health home-base at BMC for pregnant/postpartum people in all stages of recovery from substance use disorders.

In collaboration with physicians, social workers, public health experts, community organizations, and others, students will explore and advocate for possible legal and policy advocacy solutions to such problems.

Students will attend seminar and team meetings as well as work on research and advocacy projects. Seminars and team meetings will enable students to deepen their understanding of projects by placing them in a broader historical and social contexts. The project work will allow students to hone their research, analytical, writing, presentation, and problem-solving skills. Students will also periodically meet individually with the practicum supervisor to discuss their work.

Credits

This is designed as a one-semester Practicum offering two graded credits.

Faculty and other Information

Questions regarding the Practicum can be directed to Professor Danielle Pelfrey Duryea at dpelfrey@bu.edu.