Galloway, N.J. — Sreelekha Prakash, associate professor of Health Science at Stockton, is also the president of the New Jersey Public Health Association (NJPHA), where she spearheaded the work on racism being a public health crisis. Her work resulted in the poster, “Establishing a Policy for Racism as a Public Health Issue,” which she presented at the American Public Health Association (APHA) Conference on Oct. 24 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Prakash, a clinician, epidemiologist, and health science researcher, shared that Stockton is an organizational member of NJPHA. For the policy project, she engaged students from the University’s Master’s in Public Health (MPH) class she taught on the research work and evidence to support the policy.

“The NJPHA’s annual conference, ‘Promoting Healthy Neighborhoods through Civic Engagement for the Public’s Health in NJ,’ allowed Stockton students to engage in a panel discussion, as well,” Prakash said. “The keynote address was by the APHA president, and the panel participation of students Faith Strina, Melissa Ortiz, and Fallon Deully, with other public health students from New Jersey, was well acknowledged and appreciated.”

Additionally, Prakash was selected to the Board of Trustees of the First Public Health Institute in New Jersey in October 2023 and is the chair of the nominating committee and works with local prevention coalitions in the state (Prevention Coalition of Monmouth County (PCMC) and New Jersey Medical Reserve Corps (MRC)). At the national level, she is on the science boardepidemiology caucus and Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drugs Caucus of APHA.  

Her primary research work involves community collaboration with Cape Assist on Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) grant work related to Drug Use and Misuse in adolescents and young adults. Research work with faculty on Stockton’s Community-Based Social Research Collaborative (CBSRC) involves Maternal and Child Health projects with NJ Birth Equity Funders Alliance (NJBEFA) and NJEDA and on Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Project (GWEP) with SCOSA.

Reported by Mandee McCullough

Photo Submitted