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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Harold Goldstein, DrPH, California Center for Public Health Advocacy, P.O. Box 2309, Davis, CA 95617, (530) 297-6000, hg@publichealthadvocacy.org and Carmen Nevarez, MD, MPH, Medical Director and Vice President for External Relations, Public Health Institute, 2001 Addison, Suite 200, Oakland, CA 94704-1103.
In only its first two years, the California Center for Public Health Advocacy has made a substantial impact in the State legislative arena. Senate Bill 19 (Escutia), which the Center sponsored, established nutritional standards for foods sold at elementary schools, eliminated carbonated beverages in elementary schools and limited their availability in middle schools, and increased school meal reimbursements. The standards contained in this landmark bill were established by a National Consensus Panel of school nutrition experts. Signed into law in October 2001, SB 19 served as a lightening rod for nutrition, physical activity, health care, and public health advocates throughout the State. Building on this initial success, the Center is now encouraging policy makers to expand nutrition standards to youth in middle and high schools, and to establish a variety of additional measures to promote healthy eating and physical activity among California residents. The lessons learned by sponsoring SB 19 include the following: (1) skills required to be a courageous legislative advocate, (2) effective strategies for a non-profit doing advocacy work, (3) mechanisms to build statewide collaboration, and (4) ways to overcome corporate opposition. These lessons could be valuable to public health advocates across the country interested in promoting policy change through legislative action.
Learning Objectives:
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
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.