Missoula Public Health invites the public to attend free screenings of “The Invisible Shield,” a four-part PBS documentary series on the history of public health, starting in January. The first screening is slated for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 9, at the Roxy Theater.
PBS describes the “The Invisible Shield” as a series that “reveals a little-known truth: that public health saved your life today and you probably don’t even know it. But while public health makes modern life possible, the work itself is often underfunded, undervalued and misunderstood.”
“The term ‘public health’ might mean very different things to different people. This film series walks viewers through the history, data, scientific breakthroughs and policy decisions that created the public health system and informs strategies we use today,” said Chief Health Officer Jeanna Miller. “Missoula Public Health relies on community engagement to improve our services and inform our decisions. We hope the film series will open a dialogue and increase consensus around better shared health outcomes.”
In the first installment of the series, “The Old Playbook,” viewers will “discover how public health has doubled life expectancy, but the system is now in jeopardy. When the world has to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, the public health sector revisits the past to create solutions.”
The Roxy will host the hour-long screenings monthly at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 13, March 13 and April 10. Facilitated conversations about public health will follow each screening. Participants are welcome to engage in civil, respectful and passionate discussion. Space will be limited, so people are asked to reserve tickets at theroxytheater.org.
MPH Clinic Coordinator Maggie Apuzzo is available for media interviews ahead of the Jan. 9 screening. To schedule an interview, contact Communications Officer Lily Walsh at 406-880-0317 or [email protected].
More information can be found at missoulapublichealth.org.