The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #49419

Howard Greenwald, PhD¹, Bob Prentice, PhD², Mia Luluquisen, DrPH², and Carmen Nevarez, MD, MPH³. (1) Center for Community Health and Evaluation, Group Health Community Foundation, 1730 Minor Avenue, Suite 1500, Seattle, WA 98101, 206-287-4691, greenwa@usc.edu, (2) Partnership for the Public's Health, Public Health Institute, 505 14th Street, suite 810, Oakland, CA 94611, (3) Medical Director and Vice President for External Relations, Public Health Institute, 2001 Addison, Suite 200, Oakland, CA 94704-1103

Many recent community-based health initiatives include policy and systems change among their objectives. These objectives are crucial to community-based initiatives because they demonstrate a level of influence that reaches beyond programs funded to the larger community context and provide the building blocks for the sustainability of community-based health improvement. However, policy and systems change pose important challenges and opportunities related to the definition of the scope and tracking of policy change activities. The Partnership for the Public’s Health (PPH) is a major California initiative committed to achieving and evaluating policy and systems change activities. PPH provides many opportunities for shaping policy including: educating policy-makers and policy-shapers about the importance of community in determining individual health, mobilizing public opinion, developing political alliances and promoting political skills at the grass roots. This presentation discusses the challenges of evaluation design and implementation related to policy and systems change. Drawing on current processes being used by PPH and lessons learned from the Health Improvement Initiative, multiple methods of evaluation will be explored including interviews with key informants, direct observation and the tracking of state and local policies. The Health Improvement Initiative is a major California initiative aimed at enhancing and improving population health using collaborative approaches among private and public organizations and community groups. Challenges that will be discussed include legal restrictions on lobbying and difficulties in developing a focused policy agenda among diverse individuals and groups.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• list three methods for achieving policy and systems change;
• list 3 challenges to evaluating policy and systems change; and
• describe several methods used to evaluate and track policy and systems in complex, statewide community-based health improvement initiatives.

Keywords: Evaluation, Policy/Policy Development

Related Web page: www.partnershipPH.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Employed by Group Health Community Foundation. Group Health Community Foundation Center for Community Health and Evaluation Center for Community Health and Evaluation (Employer) is a paid contractor for the Public Health Institute