Jalah Bates Champions Health Equity Through Policy at the Tennessee Department of Health

For Jalah Bates, public health isn’t just a profession—it’s a calling rooted in advocacy, systems thinking, and a drive to make health policy more equitable and accessible. As a Fall 2024 Pathways to Practice Scholar, Jalah brought her passion for maternal and reproductive health to the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH), where she served as a policy intern with the Division of Family Health and Wellness.

During her placement, Jalah supported the Reproductive and Women’s Health (RWH) section by developing an innovative system to track and monitor health legislation impacting underserved communities. Her work included reviewing 142 bills from the 2023 and 2024 legislative sessions, creating structured policy tracking tools, and identifying best practices to improve how TDH stays informed about relevant laws. She focused on enhancing accessibility, user experience, and equity—recognizing that effective policy tracking must be understandable not only to professionals but also to the communities affected by these laws.

“This experience didn’t just affirm my career path—it deepened it,” Jalah said. “I walked in knowing I wanted to do this work, and I left with an even clearer vision of how and where I want to make an impact.”

Jalah’s contributions were grounded in rigorous research, practical innovation, and collaboration. She worked closely with staff in the Family Health and Wellness division to understand their needs and designed a policy tracker tailored to those insights. Her recommendations included integrating real-time updates, interactive dashboards, and plain-language summaries to make legislative information more transparent and actionable.

Beyond the technical aspects, Jalah gained firsthand experience in navigating the intersection of policy, data, and lived experience. She attended public health events, participated in mentorship sessions, and contributed to conversations about advancing reproductive justice and addressing health disparities in Tennessee.

Looking ahead, Jalah plans to continue using policy as a tool to promote equity and elevate community voices—especially around issues like Black maternal health and reproductive rights. Her time at TDH has strengthened her commitment to public health advocacy and equipped her with the skills to lead with purpose and impact.

“The Pathways to Practice program gave me space to grow, contribute, and connect the dots between classroom learning and real-world change,” she reflected. “It’s an experience I’ll carry with me into every step of my public health journey.”