Abortion Task Force
The Abortion Task Force recognizes abortion as a right and a fundamental component of health care. We strive to reframe abortion within the public health context and learn from and lift up the values of the reproductive justice model in ensuring abortion access for all people seeking this care. The Abortion Task Force works on developing public health practice and policies that promote and preserve access to abortion; and ensuring that APHA’s scientific program includes a focus on abortion public health practice, policy and research. The Abortion Task Force welcomes new members and new ideas.
Please contact Abortion Task Force Co-Chairs Bonnie Epstein or Nikki Lanshaw if you are interested in joining or helping with any of our work.
Sexuality Task Force
The Sexuality Task Force emphasizes the need for a sexuality lens in approaching sexual health research and practice. We promote the need to understand sexuality as a separate, but related, aspect of sexual and reproductive health. We facilitate the promotion and discussion of research and practice at the APHA Annual Meeting as well as organize themed panels as part of the meeting's program, typically based on task force members’ interests. Past topics have included: affirmative consent, affirmative approaches to sexuality education, sexual pleasure, and masculinity. The Sexuality Task Force has sponsored panels addressing affirmative models of sexuality and sexual health. We have also been involved with writing and revising APHA policy statements; most recently the Sexuality Task Force revised APHA's policy statement addressing comprehensive sex education. We also promote and disseminate sexuality and sexual health information via our newsletter, listserv, and at the APHA Annual Meeting. The Sexuality Task Force business meeting is open to all interested in engaging in these discussions and open to new ways of promoting affirmative sexuality as part of public health.
Please contact Sexuality Task Force Co-Chairs Jennifer Miller or Kate Vallerand if you are interested in joining or helping with any of our work.
Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Task Force
The Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Task Force works to promote sexual and reproductive health and rights for adolescents within the USA and across the globe. Our Task Force envisions a world in which all young people: enjoy full access to their human rights, including their sexual and reproductive rights; have unimpeded access to evidence-based sexual and reproductive health information and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services and support; and capably and actively drive decision-making about sexual and reproductive health, rights, and HIV policies and programming that affects their lives and the lives of their peers. We facilitate the promotion and discussion of research and practice related to adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights at the APHA Annual Meeting, as well as organize themed panels, poster sessions and youth focused receptions as part of the meeting's program. Each year we sponsor invited panels addressing innovative and urgent topics in adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights. We welcome new members and new ideas and are particularly interested in hearing the voices of young APHA members.
Please contact Adolescent SRH Task Force Co-Chairs Suchi Bansal, Maria Catrina D. Jaime, or Chelsea Pallatino if you are interested in joining or helping with any of our work.
Contraception Task Force
The Contraception Task Force focuses on family planning policies, programs and care; contraceptive decision-making; and other issues related to contraceptive access and use. As a newly revived Task Force, we plan to organize a contraception-focused session at APHA.
Please contact Contraception Task Force Co-Chairs Brenna Bernardino, Joannie Marlene Bewa, or Kelley Dennings if you are interested in joining or helping with any of our work.
Emerging Reproductive Technologies Task Force
The Emerging Reproductive Technologies Task Force examines the public health implications of genetic and reproductive technologies. We apply a social justice lens to evaluate how these technologies are being used during this "new era of reproduction," particularly their implications for public health generally and reproductive health in particular. The increasing use of assisted reproductive technologies has raised special challenges in such areas as global surrogacy, reproductive tourism, egg provision/freezing, new family formations, and gene editing. We have sponsored panels on these cutting edge issues, and worked on APHA policies. We welcome all Section members to join our meetings and calls.
Please contact Emerging Reproductive Technologies Co-Chairs Susan Berke Fogel and Judy Norsigian if you are interested in joining or helping with any of our work.
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