January 6-7, 2026
History
The Massachusetts Health Policy Forum (MHPF) located at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University was created in 1998 to bring public and private health care leaders together to engage in focused discussion on critical health policy challenges facing the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
The Massachusetts Health Policy Forum organizes an annual student forum designed to give advanced graduate students in public health, medicine and health policy direct access to the workings of state government. Students have an opportunity to meet with the senior legislative and state administrative officials to discuss the operations and responsibilities of state government. This is generally done in the context of pressing contemporary issues.
Sponsoring Schools
Boston University School of Medicine
Boston University School of Public Health
Connell School of Nursing, Boston College
Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
The Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University
Tufts University School of Medicine
UMass Boston, College of Nursing and Health Sciences
UMass Chan Medical School and ForHealth Consulting
UMass Amherst, School of Public Health and Health Sciences
Who should apply?
Applications from advanced graduate students in public health, medicine and health policy are accepted by participating school representatives:
Boston University School of Medicine
Contact: Pablo Buitron de la Vega or Angela Jackson
Boston University School of Public Health
Contact: Kiersten Strombotne
Connell School of Nursing, Boston College
Contact: Monica O'Reilly- Jacobs
Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
Contact: John E. McDonough
The Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University
Contact: Michael Doonan
Tufts University School of Medicine
Contact: Signe Flieger
UMass Boston, College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Contact: Lisa Sundean
UMass Medical School and Commonwealth Medicine, Worcester
Contact: Jay Himmelstein, MD and Matthew Alcusky
UMass Amherst, School of Public Health and Health Sciences
Contact: Risa Silverman
Background Readings
BCBS MassHealth: The Basics – Facts and Trends (October 2025)
CHIA Massachusetts Health Insurance Survey
HPC 2025 Annual Health Care Cost Trends Report and Policy Recommendations
Summary of Chapter 224 of the Acts of 2012
Health Care Spending, Utilization, and Quality 8 Years into Global Payment
The Massachusetts Prevention and Wellness Trust
Bill H.4056 An Act Relative to Substance Use, Treatment, Education and Prevention