The PHEHP’s mission is to be a strong advocate for health education and health promotion for individuals, groups, and communities. The Section also operates in accordance with the APHA’s bylaws and the PHEHP section manual. The PHEHP Advocacy Committee and Section Councilors identified that there is limited policy development and advocacy efforts within the section. They also identified that there is an urgent need to educate and empower public health professionals in policy development and advocacy as well as increase involvement in leadership in activities within the section.

Methods

To address these needs, participants will join a guided session to start policy development. Participants will navigate to the APHA policies website and review the currently approved policies and APHA’s current advocacy priorities. Then participants will identify gaps in policy to guide future policy development.

Results

Participants who attend this session will become familiar with APHA’s policy website and identify policy priorities of APHA. Based on the identified policy priorities, participants will discuss their next steps in APHA policy development for the 2025 policy cycle.

Conclusions

The impact and utilization of advocacy in public health is an often overlooked area. It is important to underscore the connection and incorporation of advocacy with public health policy and leadership. This session aims to aid participants in identifying gaps in APHA policies and discuss the next steps in policy development while bolstering membership engagement and strengthening leadership involvement in APHA.

This presentation draws on the experiences of a seasoned policy co-author in navigating the APHA’s comprehensive policy development process. Reflecting on past successful policy contributions that were adopted in 2021 and 2023, the session will dissect the stages from origination to publication, providing attendees with a roadmap for effective health policy advocacy within APHA.

Methods

The session will adopt a hands-on approach:

1. An in depth-walkthrough of the APHA policy development steps, using real-life examples from the presenter’s experiences.
2. Interactive discussions on strategies for each stage, from proposal submission to the final Governing Council decision.
3. Guided activities where participants begin drafting policy outlines, informed by the lessons shared.
4. Networking opportunities to form collaborative writing groups, preparing for the next APHA policy review cycle.

Results

By the end of the session, participants will have:

1. A detailed understanding of the APHA policy process from an author’s perspective.
2. Initial outlines for policy proposals, created with peer support.
3. Established connections for future collaboration on policy writing.

Conclusions

Effective policy development is a collaborative effort that benefits from shared experiences and collective wisdom. Participants will leave the session with actionable insights into the APHA policy development process and the confidence to engage in advocacy through policy authorship.

After proposed policy statements are submitted for review, they undergo a thorough assessment to ensure they adhere to APHA’s principles and procedures. This session draws on the expertise of Governing Councilors and Joint Policy Committee (JPC) member to describe this review process.

Methods

The participants will develop the following skills during this session:

1. Review the roles and responsibilities of APHA leadership following submission of a new policy.
2. Identify resources on the APHA website after the policy draft submission to review the parliamentary procedures during voting.
3. Demonstrate the use of the policy statement database search to view previously adopted policy statements in a guided interactive activity with session leaders.
4. Utilize discussions with fellow participants to gather feedback on their experiences after the policy statement submission process.

Results

By the end of this session, participants will have an understanding and appreciation of the thorough process by which APHA proposed policies are reviewed and approved as well as the roles of the JPC, Executive Board, and Governing Council in the review process. Interactive activities and peer discussions will provide participants with opportunities to hear and learn from others about their personal experiences with the policy review process.

Conclusions: All proposed policy statements are evaluated based on stringent criteria, including whether the policy is evidence-based and the extent to which it addresses opposing arguments. By describing these criteria and the review process, this session will help participants understand the expectations around policy statement acceptance.

Methods: This session outlines strategies for taking action with APHA public health policies, emphasizing effective utilization of APHA policy statements in various advocacy efforts. Methods will include practical guidance on reaching out to representatives on Capitol Hill, collaborating with professional and non-profit organizations, and utilizing resources provided by APHA.

Results: By the end of the session, participants will gain the ability to effectively communicate with representatives and organizations, facilitating advocacy efforts that align with APHA-approved policies. The outcomes will include increased capacity to collaborate with advocacy groups, develop impactful messages to policymakers, and navigate the complexities of public health advocacy.

Conclusions: The key takeaway from this session is the importance of advocacy and implementation of APHA-approved policies in driving positive change in public health. Individuals and organizations can amplify their voices, influence policy decisions, and contribute to the advancement of public health initiatives. Advocacy and implementation are essential steps towards achieving the goals outlined in APHA policy statements, and this session serves as a guide to empower stakeholders in these efforts.