Oral

Over the last 40 years, obesity rates in the US have tripled, leaving one-third of children and adolescents overweight or obese. Given that kids consume up to half of their calories at school, the food they eat there has a significant impact on their health. 2010 provided an important opportunity to improve the quality of meals and snacks served in schools through the reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act. Throughout 2010, a coalition of nutrition advocates and a newly established campaign called the Child Nutrition Initiative (CNI) worked together to educate policymakers and enact smart policy changes that will improve the health of kids across the country. The unique partnership of funders (coordinated through CNI) combined with the a coalition of leading advocates created a formidable and united front that convinced policymakers to improve child nutrition. The result of these combined philanthropic and advocacy efforts was the successful passage of the 2010 Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act in December 2010. The effective mobilization of a coalition of nutrition advocates combined with the success of CNI's unusual model provides a strong case study that can be used by funders and advocates to win future policy campaigns. This special session will allow the public health community to learn from and ask questions of campaign leaders to understand how to plan and execute an effective campaign across sectors, including funding, advocacy, policy and communications. It also shows how foundations and health professions can push for policy change without crossing the line into lobbying.

Session Objectives: 1. Discuss ways to leverage funder resources to allow for robust outreach while advancing the goals of multiple foundations. 2. Identify smart strategies to collaborate and capitalize on multiple advocates’ strengths to maximize legislative impact. 3. Describe how funders and health professionals can support and advance advocacy efforts without crossing over into lobbying. Provide a model framework for advocate and funder partnerships that can be used to successfully achieve policy change.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH) , Masters Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES)