Explanation of Public Health Mutual Aid Agreement
Every day, Boards of Health and Health Departments effectively protect Massachusetts
communities from infectious disease and environmental hazards through a variety of preventive
measures. However, an event that threatens public health could overwhelm the public health
resources of a municipality in the Commonwealth, even if the event does not constitute a
declared emergency. An infectious disease outbreak for example, may require immediate
action to prevent the development of a major epidemic. Additional public health expertise
and personnel can be critical to addressing and controlling an event.
To enhance emergency preparedness and response capabilities, the Massachusetts Department
of Public Health (MDPH) recommends that Boards of Health and Health Departments enter into
mutual aid agreements with cities and towns within their Emergency Preparedness Regions and
with other neighboring communities if appropriate. Only by sharing resources, expertise and
equipment across borders will local health authorities be able to respond effectively to situations
that can threaten public health and interrupt critical services.
This mutual aid agreement has been drafted by a team including an MDPH attorney, municipal
attorneys, MDPH emergency preparedness staff, and staff from the Cambridge Public Health
Department Advanced Practice Center for Emergency Preparedness. The information that
follows is provided to assist your understanding of the issues involved with mutual aid
agreements and their relevance to municipal concerns. Please share this information with your
city solicitor or town counsel as they review the document. You may also contact your Regional
Coordinator for more information and assistance regarding this mutual aid agreement.
The following is a section-by-section explanation of the Mutual Aid Agreement among Public
Health Agencies.
Section 1: Purpose
The Agreement is intended for use when “the resources normally