Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #107305

Valerie A. Hepburn, MPA¹, Robert P. Eger, PhD², Catherine P. Slade, MA², and Jungbu Kim, MPA². (1) Institute of Public Health, Georgia State University, P. O. Box 3995, Atlanta, GA 30302-3995, (404) 651-1502, vhepburn@gsu.edu, (2) Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University, P. O. Box 3992, Atlanta, GA 30302-3992

The ability of public health to meet its functional mandates of assessment, assurance and policy development is driven by the system's ability to meet basic financing needs. To do so, state and local public health leaders must be able to articulate those financing needs in terms that are understandable to policy makers and that link funding to community impact and benefit. The objective of this research is development of a financial reporting framework and budget model that clearly documents prior use of funding, serves as a basis for future funding requests and projects the potential community and environmental health impacts of changes in funding.

Researchers build upon the previous work of the PHF and NACCHO and incorporate the reporting methodology developed by NASBO and the Reforming States Group to structure a framework for data collection, reporting and analysis. The model is tested using five years of state expenditure data and field tested for validity and reporting accuracy. An “impact estimation calculator” is designed for each financial reporting subcategory with the objective of quantifying for policy makers projected “value” of funding decisions. Preliminary results indicate that current public health financial systems are of limited policy utility. A recognized fiscal framework, validated by public health and budget leaders, is challenging to create, but may result in a more robust and consensus-driven means to articulate budget needs, quantify funding impact, and account for public investments. The research highlights the importance of creating common reporting and analyses across the states, and seeks replication strategies.

Learning Objectives:

• 1.Identify methods for capturing and describing public health expenditures
• 2.Analyze funding trends and impact over time
• 3.Articulate relationships between funding and community benefit
• 4.Discuss the merits of common budget development and impact analyses
• 5.Evaluate budget strategies to meet the distinct goals of public health leaders and state budgeting leaders

Keywords: Fiscal Policy, Funding

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commertial supporters WITH THE EXCEPTION OF Research support provided by Healthcare Georgia Foundation..

Recorded presentation