Politics and policies of unintended pregnancies: Indiana's success at finding common ground

Unintended pregnancy is a complex issue that can have far reaching impact on the health of individual women, infants and entire communities. Efforts by communities to address this emotional issue can be further complicated by competing social, political, cultural, religious and medical factors. This presentation will describe a year-long, statewide consensus building process convened by the Indiana Perinatal Network which culminated in a comprehensive Call to Action (CTA) policy document. The CTA includes actionable and measurable 10-year goals for the state and specific recommendations for the general public, healthcare providers, community organizations, and public policy makers. In the presentation, key events and precipitating factors including locally collected quantitative data prompting the creation of this process will be described. Strategies used to convene and maintain cohesion among a disparate group of public and private healthcare professionals, clergy, human service providers and family planning providers will be discussed. Specific position statements and the important role that striving for common ground played in the success of this effort will be detailed, including the principal role, functions and underlying assumptions used by the convening organization. Lessons learned and suggestions for other communities interested in adopting a similar strategy will be provided. The specific impact, content and future use of the document will also be described. Lastly, the important role and educational skills obtained by involving graduate public health students in the process will be discussed. The presenters will emphasize pragmatic approaches and solutions and utilize a presentation style that encourages participant interaction and discussion.