AOR 5 Advocacy Flashcards
HES are expected to advocate for promoting health of priority populations. What does this mean?
initiate & promote legislation, laws, rules, policies, & procedures that are designed to enhance health
Act
bill or joint resolution that has passed both chambers of US Congress, been signed into law by the president, & has become an individual law
Activism
engaging in activities such as peaceful protests, civil disobedience, or boycotting
Advising
when an organization or individual shares info without indicating a preference for which way a specific policy or legislation may go
Advocacy
when individuals or non-government organizations work together to build coalitions, inform public opinion, set agendas, or communicate through the media about a specific topic
- adds value judgment about need or policy change while educating decision-makers about the issue
- Use of advocacy communication messages to emphasize importance of the issue (with knowledge of decision makers previous knowledge & awareness of the health issues)
Agenda
proposed order of business for a political meeting or party
Constituent
a citizen residing in the district for which a specific legislator covers
Cultural Inclusion
ensuring all individuals, especially those historically excluded, are included in the process of decision makiing
Health Equity
state wherein everyone has the same opportunities and access to attain optimal health
Legislator
elected member of legislative body
Legislation
branch of gov’t responsible for enacting laws
Lobbying
action of an organization where someone is paid to persuade elected officials to vote or take action on a specific topic or piece of legislation
Lobbyist
person who is paid by a specific interest group to influence legislation
Media Advocacy
individual, coalition, or organization uses the media to advance specific initiative
Media Relations
when an organization creates management plan to share info with larger public
Public Policy
multifaceted approach to solving issues of public funding & is also seen as the “output” of gov’t
Policy Maker
anyone who makes decisions that impact others
*e.g. members of US Congress
Political Action Committees (PACs)
established & administered by corporations, labor unions, & other membership organizations with the purpose of soliciting funds from individuals associated with sponsoring organization
Resolution
document to express opinions or intent of specific organization or legislative chamber
Upstream Factors
focus on the cause of the problem at the broadest or initial occurrence
HES needs to ______________ for policy, systems, or environmental change. This process includes exploring _______________ that influence an issue for future advocacy efforts.
identify & prioritize health issues or behaviors; social determinant of health (SOH)
Defining the SOH for advocacy can assist HES in defining _________________
advocacy & policy change goals & objectives
How do HES determine SOH affecting a specific health problem within priority population?
socio-ecological model (factors may include: individual, interpersonal, organizational, community, & policy)
What are some examples of SOH based on the socio-ecological model?
Individual - knowledge, attitudes, skills
Interpersonal - provider recommendation
community - media campaigns, transportation
How do HES prepare for making advocacy efforts?
find evidence-based info about health issues, impacts of health health issues, & potential solutions for background information
- background info should include socio-economic costs of policy & barriers to advocacy campaign
HES should use ____________ to inform health policy debates & to help address decision makers’ info needs regarding critical issues. How does this help HES influence decision makers?
evaluation & research findings in policy analysis
stay current with reported policy implications, identify solutions, & translate effective policy & media advocacy techniques
What does health policy include?
factors & forces that affect the health of the public
Forces that can affect health of the public include ___________________.
congress, federal health agencies, states, health care providers, businesses, & local communities
- includes organizing, financing, & delivery of health related policy
What are factors that could hinder advocacy efforts?
- lack of awareness of current issues or legislation
- lack of advocacy skills
- positions that prohibit ability to advocate durinng work hours
- lack of time
- lack of funding
- lack of self or collective efficacy
Opportunities for Advocacy
- Training in advocacy skills & issues
- Participating in national action (SOPHE, APHA, NACCHO) which do important research & connect HES with their legislators
- Collaborating among organizations through coalitions & other partnerships
- Training programs in course at universities that focus on advocacy, creating advocacy tracks in programs, & creating certificates in public health advocacy
To ensure effective advocacy efforts, HES must engage _____________ who are often also _______________.
Stakeholders; gatekeepers to grass roots mobilization
Importance of Coalitions for Advocacy
- Change agents for policy, system, environmental change
- expand resources for advocacy initiatives
Allies are more likely to join advocacy initiative if….
benefits of achieving advocacy goal outweighs their coalition costs in time, money, & effort
How will HES deal with coalitions/stakeholders opposed to proposed legislative or policy action they are advocating for?
assist the group with strategy & argument creating to attempt to persuade them on the issue or find common ground
* listen to their arguments, redirect resources, & craft targeted persuasive messages to counter resistance
* encourage their assistance through listening sessions, issue education, & opportunity for negotiated strategies and resource leverage
What is HES looking for when recruiting coalitions in support of advocacy initiative?
- prioritize benefit-to-cost within the group
- look for coalitions and/or stakeholders who have unique expertise that their coalition is lacking
What information helps HES to influence decision makers about proposed policy, system, or environmental change?
research and analyze level of public support and factors that may affect their constituents from credible sources
- Include: description of health issue, epidemiological effects, health costs and consequences, potential interventions to address the issue, program/intervention evaluation results
What information should HES gain about decision makers who are/may be supportive of the proposed policy change?
- if they or their family have been affected by the issue
- who their influencers are
- what similar issues do they support
- any self interests related to proposed policy
- analysis of their political capital, communication capacity, & # of supporters they can organize
- their voting record, issues they are passionate about, future political ambitions & upcoming elections
- their organizational relationships & members
- their personal values & ideals
Health Communication Campaigns
- increases awareness and educates priority population about diseases-preventing & health-promoting behaviors
- Uses mass media, multi-media, & inter-personal communication channels and strategies
- can be used to educate on proposed policy, system, or environmental change
When using health communication campaigns to advocate for change, who is the priority population? Secondary Population?
Priority - those with power to affect change (primary focus)
Secondary - the public
What does Asset Inventory identify?
- Advocacy Campaign resources & gaps
- Skills gaps in coalition membership
- Potential coalition members with needed expertise related to health issue and/or advocacy skills (community organizing; writing briefs)
Community Asset Mapping
Strategy to list & categorize resources that advocacy coalition can use during advocacy campaign for change and resource gaps within the community
- helps with determining best locations, audiences, and community networks to target
What should be included in a comprehensive fundraising plan to identify appropriate approaches to fill budget gaps for advocacy efforts?
Activities, strategies, timeline, & evaluation
Difference between lobbying and grassroots lobbying
Lobbying - any attempt to influence specific legislation according to federal law
Grassroots Lobbying - attempts to influence public opinion with respect to legislation or issue & encourage policy-maker to act
Lobbying vs Advocacy
Lobbying - asking decision makers to pass or dismiss a certain policy or piece of legislation
Advocacy - more general; creating awareness or mobilizing the communities
Steps for creating campaign messages
- determine media goals and objectives
- state priority audiences for the message
- craft the message
- evaluate the message
What can assist in influencing health policy via wide information dissemination?
Media Advocacy
What should be included in developing a PERSUASIVE message strategy to get decision makers to act
- message that grabs decision makers attention (simple; compelling), addressing obstacles, & is culturally competent
- supported by credible evidence
- directed toward those who can implement change
- combine new information with existing understanding
How can HES provide clear, easy to understand persuasive messages?
use of metaphors, personal stories, charts & graphs
What methods can be used to get persuasive messages to decision makers?
- briefs
- resolutions
- fact sheets
Information brief
summarizes research on policy approaches
Issue Brief
all available evidence when policy solutions are currently unknown
Policy Impact Brief
large amounts of existing evidence and potential impact of policy implementation
- contains most information on an issue
Policy Brief
summarizes best practices & policy options
- used in policy development & implementation
- focuses on 1 topic & is backed by credible, evidence based data
A brief provides decision makers with _______________
description of an issue & implications of policy enactment to address the issue
What specifically is included in a policy brief? How long is a policy brief?
- defined public health problem & its importance
- relevant evidence & data analysis
- policy options & recommendations
- Limitations & Conclusions
- 6 pages or less
Resolutions
written statements of support or opposition to legislation to express group’s formal opinion & desired actions
What is included in a resolution?
- defined problem or issue
- rationale & background described using statements prefaced “whereas” clauses
- “resolved” statement or description of recommended action completes resolution
Fact Sheets
one page, easy to read on letter size colored paper focusing on most important up-to-date relevant info about the issue
What should be included in a fact sheet?
- statement of the issue
- who is affected
- recommendations to solve the issue
*headline/title
* use of bulleted list
* use of charts or simple illustrations to emphasize key points
Once data is collected and analyzed, HES can determine _________________
campaign objectives, identify priority policy solution, & create strategy plan
What is the 1st step in addressing proposed policy change?
Set advocacy agenda
Steps in creating advocacy plan
- determine clear action for advocacy plan
- identify decision makers who can implement the change
- create effective, persuasive message from credible influencers
The health issue for the health policy advocacy plan should be __________________ and be part of a comprehensive program plan
- reflect identified community health issue that community members are passionate about/have deep feelings
- winnable & specific
- affect many community members
- supported by evidence
*involve coalition members
________________ & ________________ can assist in helping coalition members focus their efforts & identify the health policy advocacy issue
Needs Assessment & Asset Inventory
What is necessary for a coalition to consider when choosing health issue of community interest?
- what can be gained by supporting the issue
- what is the stage of readiness & commitment of coalition to address the issue
- what other groups are affected by the issue
- what policies are already in existence to deal with the health issue
3 Forms of promoting health issue
- Voluntary Policy
- Local Ordinance or Law
- State or Federal Law
Similarities between program planning & health policy advocacy plans
- must be created in advance of taking action
- conducted with coalition or partners
- include goals/objectives
- asset assessment
- community support analysis
- change targets
- strategy style
- action steps
Differences between program planning & health policy advocacy plans
Advocacy has:
- hidden agendas
- differing values system
- actions within political system
- advocacy planning & advocacy action happen simultaneously (assessment is a continuing task)
Advocacy Planning Phases
- Political/Organizational Analysis
- Issue identification & framing
- Goal creation
- Information gathering
- Actions
- Evaluation
What is included in an advocacy plan?
goals, actions. timelines, responsible personnel, needed resources
Assets, allies/opponents, targets & agents, strategies used, specific action steps that can be evaluated
Important things to do when meeting with decision makers
- prepare background materials
- prioritize most important points
- be professional in advocacy presentation
Ways to advocate for a health issue
- Direct Advocacy - meeting with local city official or legislator
- Media Advocacy
- Educating groups to vote or organize health issue
Advocacy initiatives are designed to ________________
Influence Policy or Law
Types of Strategies to include in Advocacy Plan
Traditional, Social, & Emerging Technologies
Traditional Advocacy Strategies
- Voting Behavior - register to vote; encourage others to vote
- Electioneering - contributing to candidate’s campaign that is supportive of public health/health education
- Direct Lobbying - contacting policy maker
- Grassroots - town hall meetings, petitions
- Media Advocacy
Social Advocacy Techniques
- Social Media Platforms
- Signing online petitions
Internet Action Networks
- APHA
- BALLOTPEDIA
- Capwiz
What information can be found on APHA website?
- Legislation Updates that contain info about health related legislation
- Media Guide that allows members to send electronic letters to local media
- Legislative Action Center has regular updates posted on legislation & allows members to email local political respresentatives
What information can BALLOTPEDIA provide?
- online encyclopedia of American politics & elections
- lifetime voting records for US Senators & Representatives
What information can be found on Capwiz?
- website where elective officials are listed based on location
- used to connect constituents with appropriate elected officials based on zip code
Emerging Technologies
Mobile Technology to communicate with people across large distances
Advocacy effort evaluations allow coalitions to ________________________
monitor and track progress, gains, changes, & resource allocation
Advocacy campaigns are focused on an overall goal with _____________________
specific objectives or secondary goals necessary to achieve the overall goal
Challenges of Advocacy Evaluation
- Long duration of Campaign
- Coalition’s sustainability level
- Types of necessary evaluation designs
- Need for tracking “small steps” in progression of campaign
Steps (in order) of advocacy evaluation
- Establish the purpose & audience for evaluation
- Define goals & objectives prioritizing primary & secondary goals
Why are secondary goals important in Advocacy Plan & evaluation?
Help determine if progress is being made toward primary goal
What are examples of Primary goals in advocacy?
Policy adoption, placement, or maintenance
Examples of Secondary Goals in Advocacy
- partnership formation & co-sponsorship
- support of health issue
- outreach efforts
- strategies & tactics
- coalition capacity
- change in community norms
Before collecting & analyzing evaluation data, HES should match __________________
measures & data collection strategies
Order of types of Advocacy Evaluation
- Process Evaluation
- Impact Evaluation
- Outcome Evaluation
Campaign reach and activities in advocacy are what type of evalulation?
Process
Impact evaluation is used to measure __________________
policy awareness & public attitude change
What does advocacy outcome evaluation measure?
- whether policy change was adopted
- Effect of media advocacy campaign on decision makers & the public
Why is advocacy process evaluation important?
Monitoring media advocacy strategy to improve efforts and revise messages when necessary
To measure the primary goal, the HES should compare ________________ with _____________________
advocacy outcome; coalition position statements that include the priority issue & goal
How can advocacy evaluation results be used?
- Determine if the campaign is making a difference
- Modify activities & strategies
- Secure grant funding & other resources
- Communicate & publicize campaign successes
How can advocacy evaluation help coalitions?
- Justify funding
- Demonstrate accountability to decision makers & funders
- Show outcomes over time
- Enhance coalition image
Evaluations for health media campaigns can provide _________________
- Adjustments to campaign goals
- Used to inform strategies for next campaign influence
