Strengthening the voice of public health across the South
We work across state lines to strengthen leadership, connect communities, and improve health outcomes through locally grounded strategies.
Learn about our approachThe reality we face
Health data in the American South shows a clear need for dedicated action and leadership. Southerners currently experience shorter life expectancies than the national average and face higher rates of premature death today than they did 25 years ago.
Our communities experience the nation’s highest infant and maternal mortality rates, and we are working alongside local leaders to address systemic barriers and strengthen care in every ZIP code.
Furthermore, because vaccines are one of the most effective tools we have to prevent illness, we are dedicated to sharing proven, life-saving information to better protect the public from disinformation.
By ensuring policy and implementation decisions are well-coordinated and informed by the lived realities of the community, we can translate these challenges into positive action.
Our belief and our strategy
We believe that Southerners deserve to be healthy and that the decision-makers closest to the problem should be closest to the solution.
The Southern Alliance for Public Health Leadership (SAPHL) is a nonprofit alliance committed to strengthening the voice, visibility, and effectiveness of public health across the South. SAPHL is Southern-rooted in identity and operations, state-focused in strategy, and supports public health professionals across state lines. We help state and local decision-makers understand how policy choices shape the health of their constituents—and how to lead change.
Our ultimate goals
To protect, enhance, and advance a public health system that achieves three critical outcomes:
- ✓ Higher vaccination rates.
- ✓ Lower rates of infant and maternal mortality.
- ✓ Improved access to care throughout the South.
How we create change
SAPHL focuses our interventions on the people and organizations that drive policy adoption and implementation. We strengthen an alliance of trusted voices, uniting and empowering the people, services, and infrastructure that make up our public health system.
Data & training
Unleashing data, convening diverse stakeholders, and training our partners so they are equipped with the connections, direction, insights, and skills they need to succeed.
Network building
Mobilizing public health professionals, creating communication strategies that resonate with diverse Southern audiences, and highlighting data-driven success stories.
Policy advocacy
Driving policy education and advocacy by training our members to engage effectively with legislators, advocating for the preservation of vital health programs, and promoting policies that expand access to care.