Policy Advocacy: A Practitioner’s Guide Vic Colman and Robbi Kay Norman May 2013
Learning Objectives • Advancing a specific policy development framework as a workable roadmap • Understand the power of policy, systems and environmental change in moving public health agendas • Strengthen knowledge and skills in surfacing and prioritizing policy strategies
KEY DEFINITIONS
“ PSE ”: P OLICY
“ PSE ”: S YSTEMS C HANGE
“ PSE ”: E NVIRONMENTAL P REVENTION
TYPES OF ADVOCACY Consumer Media Judicial Legislative Executive Regulatory
PSE – R ATIONALE “B EYOND B ROCHURES ” Activity (Program) Focus PSE Focus One -time Ongoing Intended to learn behavior Intended to change change behavior Supports individuals Influence environments that support individuals Ongoing operational cost One-time cost Non-Sustaining Sustainable
PSE – R ATIONALE “B EYOND B ROCHURES ” T OPIC A REA A CTIVITIES /P ROGRAM PSE C OMPONENT Employee Health Wellness Fair Nutritional & Productivity Standards Changed Behavior Reach Cost Sustainability
“ B EYOND B ROCHURES ” Exercise
PSE – R ATIONALE M AXIMAL I MPACT • Research tells us that comprehensive approaches to health problems are most successful • Broader reach -- PSE strategies have the ability to reach entire populations and reduce collective risk • PSE approaches can be cost-effective and easier to sustain
POLICY, SYSTEMS AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE THEORY TO PRACTICE
You Are Here! If we are together nothing is impossible. If we are divided all will fail. Winston Churchill
Community Wheel Pop Quiz KNOW YOUR COMMUNITY
The Power of Community Influencers Each encounter with any influencer is an opportunity to: • market your PSE goals • expand or defend critical funding streams • Build initial steps to achieve greater public support of your efforts (includes positive media) Ultimately, positive contact with community influencers can establish yourself and your partners as valuable resources for any health issue.
Community Influencer: Ask Yourself? Are you or your team considered a “player” in influential circles? Do you receive requests to speak at events, endorse initiatives, get invited to brainstorm ideas with policy makers? How would you assess which health policy groups are “players” in influential circles?
PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATION: Ensuring Coalition Health Key Variables Clarity of role(s) Meeting community needs Leadership and expectations Ability to locate, persuade & Diversified funding utilize influential champions Solid infrastructure Wide & diverse community Stakeholder engagement involvement Adaptability
PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATION: C REATING E FFECTIVE S TRUCTURES • Cooperation / communication (network): Share information. • C oordination: Some effort made to develop joint endeavors. • C ollaboration/Integration: Development of common agenda (program, policy).
Partnerships and Collaboration: Ask Yourself? Do coalitions that you are part of have a clear understanding of their role in policy and systems change? Do individual members on the coalitions understand their specific roles in policy and systems change?
You Are Here!
I DENTIFYING AN I SSUE : Is there a problem? Identify and define the issue Is the data compelling? What kind of data? Is it local? Are there health disparities? What would happen if nothing was done? Question: What is worse than ready, fire, aim?
YOU ARE HERE!
D ETERMINE PSE O PTIONS : W HAT S HOULD B E D ONE ? Making the list of potential change options for action Use of evidence-based information Best Practices - proven research findings Promising Approaches - some research basis Innovative Ideas - brand new approach (untested)
D ETERMINE PSE O PTIONS : W HAT S HOULD B E D ONE ? Identify Level of Change Needed Federal State Local Institutional
Policy T YPES Choose The Type of PSE Strategy – Official Policies – Procedures & Protocols – Advisory Statements – Voluntary Efforts – Budget
C HOOSE PSE T YPE Official Policies -- Laws Laws" or "statutes" are adopted by legislative and compiled into "codes." Subdivisions might be known as "titles", "chapters", and "sections." Laws take precedence over every other type of policy and are subject to the full weight of enforcement via the criminal or civil justice systems. Enacted by a legislative body at any level of government or private entity leadership.
C HOOSE PSE T YPE Official Policies – Rules "Rules", "regulations", "administrative orders", "certification requirements", "licensure requirements", and similar terms usually refer to policies that are adopted by administrative bodies (local or state boards or departments.) They carry the force of “law” within the education system. Remember: Rules can always be trumped by ordinance or legislation.
C HOOSE PSE T YPE Procedures & Protocols Procedures and protocols provide formal direction as to how a policy will be implemented and typically establish relationships and responsibilities for all those impacted by the policy. The procedures and protocols provide a framework for accountability and enforcement. Remember: Procedures and Protocols can always be trumped by ordinance or legislation.
C HOOSE PSE T YPE Advisory Statements: May include guidelines, resolutions, position statements, non- regulatory guidance, and legal advisories that provide recommendations, express opinions, provide evidence, and/or clarification on implementing policies and programs. They can originate from state legislatures, state or local boards of education, national organizations, state education agencies, or other entities. Ultimately, such guidelines are intended to result in a code of correct conduct or adoption of best practice.
C HOOSE PSE T YPE Voluntary Efforts: These can emerge a few different ways: 1. Proponents may feel that stronger types of policy (like ordinances and laws) are unlikely to pass so a voluntary approach is used first. This can lead to stronger efforts down the road. 2. Voluntary approaches can also emerge out of negotiation when stronger policy efforts are first attempted.
C HOOSE PSE T YPE Budget: The development of budgets (for programs and agencies) is another form of policy but can be overlooked as a place to develop strategy and advocacy. Budget development is not a mechanistic process but rather a process that involves decision makers engaged in prioritizing resources that can be influenced both internally and externally.
FINAL LIST OF STRATEGIES NEED TO BE … ACTION STATEMENTS
YOU ARE HERE!
REVIEW FEASIBILITY VARIABLES: Can It Be Done? Political Feasibility political and economic climate Program Feasibility operational questions, including complexity and measurability Social Feasibility community connection; unintended consequences
Feasibility: The Power of Local Policy Development Compliance and enforcement efforts are more accountable to local advocates Local advocates more easily reflect community-specific standards and norms Vested industry interests are generally less effective at the local level
Feasibility: The Power of Local Policy Development • Finding the right “toe-hold” in the organization • Connecting to the overall strategic plan • Framing: Looking for the argument that can connect more broadly • Determining advocacy opportunities
REVIEW FEASIBILITY VARIABLES: Can It Be Done? Unintended Consequences Positive: DARE example Negative: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome FAS) Warning Labels (alcohol) Regulating on Advertising and Marketing (soda pop, tobacco, alcohol) Taxes (soda pop, tobacco and alcohol) Restricting Retail Availability (i.e., fast food outlets)
GROUP EXERCISE: Working in the PSE Framework
Understanding the PSE Development Framework: Key Take-Home Thoughts for Stages 2-4 • Policy approaches are a legitimate part of the business of public health • Effective policy development is more than just jumping to your favorite solution • Solutions need to be action-oriented, rather than large policy objectives
UPCOMING WEB TRAININGS: A SNEAK PREVIEW? Coalition Health and Sustainability Policy Advocacy: Developing an Advocacy Plan Communications and Persuasion
Tha hank nk y you! 360.878.2543 vicsolutions@comcast.net 360.556.4630 robbisolutions@comcast.net
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