Oral

This session will focus on advocacy strategies to help translate public health knowledge and experience into information that can be used to shape effective public health policies. We will begin with a presentation discussing the development of epidemiological data specific to the congressional district level to better inform decisions about resource allocations and to help individual members of congress better advocate for their constituents. Next, the use of mandatory data collection as a tool to address problems of health disparities will be discussed, with a focus on the selection of quality measures that address patient needs. Our next presentation will describe a process of providing concrete services to families through care coordination while also gathering data including demographic information, case activities and outcomes, and gaps or barriers encountered. These data may be used by policymakers, funders and administrators to improve service delivery. Next, the process of translating community health assessment information into public health policy will be discussed. Finally, we will have a presentation focusing on translating experience from a regional perinatal collaborative into state health policy.

Session Objectives: At the end of this presentation, participants will be better able to: • Discuss the potential of congressional district disparity data to inform and influence federal policymaking • Explore a regulatory approach to ending health disparities via mandatory data collection • Monitor health disparities through accurate data collection of patient information using the following fields: race, ethnicity, preferred language, and level of education • List the four key components telephone care coordinators need in order to be effective in meeting families' needs and in documenting families’ experiences in seeking services • Describe how to engage regional providers in a collaborative process to implement a new health care policy

CE Credits: CME, Health Education (CHES), Nursing