A model for Health in All Policies: Health impact reviews of Washington state legislation

Addressing health disparities and developing approaches to ensure Health in All Policies are gaining momentum in the United States. The Washington State Legislature has officially recognized the importance of both working to eliminate health disparities and analyzing policies for their impact on health. Washington state passed legislation in 2006 that created the Governor’s Interagency Council on Health Disparities and gave the State Board of Health (SBOH) the authority, in collaboration with the Council, to conduct health impact reviews (HIR). An HIR is an analysis, informed by the scientific literature, of how a state legislative or budgetary proposal will likely impact health and health disparities. Only the Governor or a state legislator can request a review. Legislators and the Governor’s Office have requested HIRs of proposals from a variety of topic areas including education, health care, and social services. In addition, SBOH staff have engaged the legislature to inform decision-makers that proposals that affect where we live, learn, work, and play also impact health and are therefore good candidates for an HIR request. This presentation will provide an outline of Washington state’s model HIR framework and will cover outreach approaches that have been effective in mobilizing Washington state legislators and the Governor’s Office to request HIRs. Lastly, this presentation will provide the audience with a springboard to discuss how state, county, or local governments and other organizations can make strides towards Health in All Policies by adapting and implementing Washington state’s health impact review model.