The practice of public health throughout history has led to many of the improvements in the health of the American people. Today, many of public’s health’s accomplishments are all but forgotten. An inability by public health leaders to effectively communicate the need to maintain current preventive efforts and to sustain the capability to meet future threats to the public’s health has led to an identity crisis in the American public. Furthermore, political tension between professional expertise in public health and politics is charging an already volatile climate making it much more difficult to implement new policies and assure the public of adequate services to protect their health. Public health policy provides an essential mechanism for assuring the public’s health. Over time, presidential and governmental change attempts have left local leaders with the notion that health policy can only be affected at the federal level. This is simply not true. Local public health professionals must gain an understanding of the policy process and how to influence it at the local level. Notably, it is as the local level that public health practitioners have the most intimate contact with and knowledge about their community. Without local influence over health policy, the public may never be adequately protected by public health protection measures and disparities in the American public will continue.
Learning Objectives: 1. Define Public Health Policy. 2. Recognize the role public health policy plays at the local level. 3. Discuss why affecting public health policy at the local level is important. 4. Discuss major policy interventions throughout history 5. Identify presidential platforms for policy change 6. Articulate measures to influence public health policy at the local level
Keywords: Policy/Policy Development, Local Public Health Agencies
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.