Purpose

To provide strategic direction to the IDSA Board of Directors regarding ID public health policy, advance ID public health funding priorities, and establish IDSA as a leading voice on issues related to ID and public health.

Responsibilities

• Make recommendations to the Board of Directors to develop and advance IDSA public health policy objectives.
• Engage with relevant federal agencies, Congress and other stakeholders to inform public health policy and advance IDSA objectives.
• Develop new policy proposals as needed (e.g. legislative, funding, or regulatory proposals) to advance public health ID objectives.
• Review federal (and occasionally international or state level) public health ID policy proposals and develop proposed IDSA responses for review by IDSA leadership.
• Monitor and provide expertise to federal working groups or committees addressing ID public health topics.
• Act as liaison with organizations or coalitions that address public health issues of importance
• Develop white papers and other documents as appropriate to articulate ID public health issues and raise awareness among IDSA members, policymakers, media and other stakeholders.
• When requested, serve as media spokespeople on public health issues, as allowable by members’ employers and in accordance with individual members’ areas of expertise.
• Participate in work groups that address specific issues of importance to the Society.
• A commitment to ensuring that principles of inclusion, diversity, access and equity are applied throughout IDSA governance.

Ideal Qualifications

Members should have expertise in the intersection of ID and public health, including vaccination, surveillance, infection control and prevention, epidemiology, or zoonotic and vector borne diseases. Additionally, working for or with a state or local public health department is beneficial.

Number of Members

Maximum of 15

Composition

Members shall include a Chair, Vice Chair and at least 12 members including clinicians, researchers and public health practitioners. HIVMA shall assign a voting representative. PIDS and SHEA shall assign a non-voting liaison to this committee. CDC shall assign a voting representative to this committee. A non-voting, Fellows Subcommittee liaison is also assigned to this committee.

Meeting Frequency

The committee will have in-person meetings each year at IDWeek and in the Spring at IDSA headquarters in Arlington, VA. Teleconferences to be held as needed, for a total of 2-4 meetings per year. Committee members will be asked to respond to email communications on a regular or as needed basis to provide input on emerging policy issues and to help draft or provide feedback on draft IDSA policy documents. Committee members may also be asked to represent IDSA at meetings with policymakers or other stakeholders.

Estimated Time Commitment

1-2 hours per month; additional time may be required if member agrees to join a working group, lead a project (e.g. drafting a white paper), or to represent IDSA at an external meeting.

Method of Appointment

The members shall be appointed by the Board of Directors with input from the President-elect in consultation with the CEO, committee chair, and staff liaison. Appointments will consider the need for a balance of the various aspects of ID in public health.

Term of Office

The Chair and Vice Chair shall serve for two years. Reappointment for one additional, consecutive, one-year term is permissible. Members shall serve 2- or 3-year terms with no option for consecutive reappointment.

Applicants for the Public Health Committee will automatically also be considered for the Public Health Committee Advisory Group.  Advisory Group members may be called upon to provide input on issues under the Committee’s purview and to work on Committee projects. Advisory Group terms are 2 years.

Accountability

Reports to Board of Directors

Staff Liaison

Director of Public Policy