Protecting Reproductive Health through Enhancing Stakeholder Involvement

Problem statement: There is a need for increased dialogue and support between federal policy makers and individual stakeholder groups interested in protecting reproductive environmental health; however, there is a current lack of centralized infrastructure for this exchange.

Methods: Federal agencies regularly receive support and input from various outside scientific expertise and stakeholder advice. However, based on lessons learned by participants in the Reach the Decision Makers program established by the University of California; we realize that the voices of scientists, public health leaders, non-profit organizations and stakeholders are not meeting their full communication potential. The goal of this project is to identify mechanisms to coordinate activities and information that relate to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and develop a new paradigm for independent advocacy organization that could promote continued interaction with the USEPA on issues of reproductive environmental health. The model will focus on how such a group can support coordinated action on emergent and exigent scientific issues. An initial framework for such a group as well as short- and long-term goals has been developed through research and communication with leaders in environmental science, public policy and advocacy, within and outside the USEPA.

Conclusions: Currently, there is a need for organized communication between groups and individuals with common interests in protecting reproductive environmental health with policymakers. A group such as we propose is needed to ensure increase this communication with the USEPA and to facilitate public support and effective information exchange for ongoing or new policy.