Advocacy is not only important, but essential for the public health practitioner - a mechanism needed to address health disparities among populations. Recognizing this need, two public health associations partnered to offer trainings in public health advocacy. These trainings raised participant competence and led to an increase in advocacy initiatives throughout the state. Trainings provided participants with a basic understanding of advocacy, specific skills, application of advocacy principles to public health issues, and opportunities for collaboration with new partners. At one training, legislators and lobbyists described ways to influence policy, strengths/weaknesses in the political system, pending health policy issues, and action steps for practitioners. At another, participants developed advocacy action plans at topic-specific roundtables. At a third, discussion between practitioners and policymakers focused on specific issues, with collaborative development of action plans for change. The trainings reached over 300 practitioners. Outcomes of the trainings included: development of a legislative scorecard, a model for a state-wide advocacy network, lay-person provision of expert testimony, publication of position papers, development of a policy statement on advocacy for the associations, development of fact sheets for legislators on pending public health issues, development of an advocacy training course at the state university, stronger relationships with state policy-makers, and the strong commitment for ongoing action between the two associations to reach common goals. The trainings and resulting initiatives provide a template for state organizations to build public health advocacy skills and increase the role of public health professionals in setting state public health policy.
Learning Objectives: 1. Discuss the importance of partnering with other professional associations to advance a common public health advocacy agenda 2. Describe why advocacy workshops directed at public health professionals are critical to developing effective public health policy. 3. Describe three advocacy initiatives that can be undertaken to address a current public health issue
Keywords: Advocacy, Training
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.