Bringing everyone to the table: Linking multiple level partners for community policy change

As communities nationwide are increasing their focus on policy, systems, and environmental change strategies to find local solutions to chronic diseases and other health care concerns, questions are being asked about how this can be done, and who needs to be involved. The National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) is working with national partners, states and local communities to answer those questions and promote policy change. By identifying state representatives to assist communities with their efforts, NACDD has created linkages that have enabled communities to assess their local needs and resources, identify possible policy changes, and effectively implement and evaluate those policies. NACDD has successfully done this with communities of all sizes, levels of readiness and capacity, and economic status. Examples will be provided from numerous communities (many from Action Communities for Health, Innovation, and EnVironmental ChangE) and states, with lessons learned and recommendations for strategies to address chronic diseases and related risk factors. Those examples will include recommendations for local and state partners that need to be involved to affect policy change. The presentation will also describe how numerous policies have spread from a local focus to a broader, statewide focus, incrementally increasing their area of impact. Technical assistance resources for states and communities will be highlighted, including websites, action guides, and success stories available for communities interested in addressing chronic diseases and other health care concerns through policy change.