Childbirth at a Crossroads: Politics and public policy

Childbirth at a Crossroads, published by Maternity Care Coalition (MCC) in September 2006, outlines the major issues facing childbearing families in Southeastern Pennsylvania and makes recommendations to resolve them. The report identifies five major issues/crossroads, 17 different goals and 50 action steps or recommendations.

Since issuing the report in September 2006, MCC has been working with concerned agencies ranging from trade associations, community-based organizations, legislators, and local governments to implement the recommendations outlined in the report. MCC has been able to make use of the opportunities presented by gubernatorial and state legislative elections, finding a way to engage elected officials across the political spectrum with the issues presented in the report. Childbirth at a Crossroads is used as a plan of action and a statement of principles to measure our actions and to influence the policies of others.

This session will review the process of developing and publishing Childbirth at a Crossroads, from initial focus groups and interviews, through data collection and analysis, to final editing and distribution. It will discuss how an agency or organization can successfully identify health care-related issues in their community, work with constituencies and clients to pose solutions to those issues, and create an effective plan for influencing public policy to implement those solutions. Key topics in this discussion will include engaging stakeholders, framing issues within a sensitive political climate, and harnessing the media and other strategies for increasing public awareness around health care issues.