Women’s Health Policy and Advocacy Program

Influencing Health Policy Tools for Faculty

January 26, 2011

Office for Women’s Careers Connors Center for Women’s Health and Gender Biology

Brigham and Women’s Hospital

Women’s Health Policy and Advocacy Program

Objectives

(1) Understand the process and politics of health policy in the U.S.

(2) Gain skills to inform and influence health policy at all levels

(3) Review tools available to influence health policy

Women’s Health Policy and Advocacy Program

Framework to Develop a Political Strategy

(1) Evaluate the political and cultural environment

(2) Where are you in the policy process?

(3) Consider your assets and liabilities

(4) Set your goals

(5) Frame the issue

(6) Select your tools

Women’s Health Policy and Advocacy Program

Framework to Develop a Political Strategy

(1) Evaluate the political and cultural environment

(2) Where are you in the policy process?

(3) Consider your assets and liabilities

(4) Set your goals

(5) Frame the issue

(6) Select your tools

Women’s Health Policy and Advocacy Program

Political Environment of Health Care

• Competition from other issues

• Health care “burnout”

• Disease-specific funding priorities

• Dissention among stakeholders

• Shifts in party in power

• Polarization of political parties

• Economic recession

Women’s Health Policy and Advocacy Program

Cultural Landscape of Health

• Health as a moral issue

• American preference for personal responsibility and freedom

• Gaps between experts and public opinion on causes of and solutions to health problems

• Dominance of disease-specific advocacy

Women’s Health Policy and Advocacy Program

Framework to Develop a Political Strategy

(1) Evaluate the political and cultural environment

(2) Where are you in the policy process?

(3) Consider your assets and liabilities

(4) Set your goals

(5) Frame the issue

(6) Select your tools

Women’s Health Policy and Advocacy Program

Stages of the Policy Process• Problem definition / initiation

• Specification of alternatives (i.e. policy proposals)

• Issue expansion

• Entrance onto formal agenda (legislation, speech, executive order, task force)

• Adoption / Action

• Implementation

• Amendment / Revision

Women’s Health Policy and Advocacy Program

Opportunities to intervene

Problem Stream Policy Stream Political Stream

Indicators Ideas Public opinion shift

Focusing Events Proposals Changes in leadership

Performance Gaps Research Changes in priorities

WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY!!!

Women’s Health Policy and Advocacy Program

• Insider Advice – become the expert

• Party Platform – force policymakers to take a position

• Strength in Numbers – develop a coalition

• Negotiation – be prepared to compromise

• Outside Pressure – from voters, rivals, colleagues and supporters

Advancing an issue on a political agenda

Women’s Health Policy and Advocacy Program

Framework to Develop a Political Strategy

(1) Evaluate the political and cultural environment

(2) Where are you in the policy process?

(3) Consider your assets and liabilities

(4) Set your goals

(5) Frame the issue

(6) Select your tools

Women’s Health Policy and Advocacy Program

Assets and Liabilities Number of individual affected? Limited or extensive volunteer base?• Extent of financial resources? • Legislative or executive priority?• Urgency - new research or other imperative?• Emotional or value-based impact?• Public awareness and support?• Well-known or celebrity supporters?• Competition among supporters?

Women’s Health Policy and Advocacy Program

Framework to Develop a Political Strategy

(1) Evaluate the political and cultural environment

(2) Where are you in the policy process?

(3) Consider your assets and liabilities

(4) Set your goals

(5) Frame the issue

(6) Select your tools

Women’s Health Policy and Advocacy Program

Determine Specific Goals

Examples from lung cancer advocacy:

• Increase public awareness

• De-stigmatize / disassociate from smoking

• Increase funding→for what? Research? Screening? Treatment?

• Promote an accepted screening protocol

• Reduce racial, ethnic and gender disparities

• Improve compassionate care

• Foster hope

Women’s Health Policy and Advocacy Program

Framework to Develop a Political Strategy

(1) Evaluate the political and cultural environment

(2) Where are you in the policy process?

(3) Consider your assets and liabilities

(4) Set your goals

(5) Frame the issue

(6) Select your tools

Women’s Health Policy and Advocacy Program

Framing an Issue• Positive language is more effective than negative

- Drunk driving: “The designated driver is the life of the party”- Tobacco cessation: “It’s time we made smoking history”- Lung cancer: “Out of the Shadows” “Shine a Light”

• Implicate core values - HIV: Ryan White Act - Teen pregnancy: “Babies having babies”- Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act

• Consider your specific goals

Women’s Health Policy and Advocacy Program

Framework to Develop a Political Strategy

(1) Evaluate the political and cultural environment

(2) Where are you in the policy process?

(3) Consider your assets and liabilities

(4) Set your goals

(5) Frame the issue

(6) Select your tools

Women’s Health Policy and Advocacy Program

Tools to influence the policy process• Free and paid media

• Changing public opinion

• Campaigns and elections

• Lobbying

• Coalitions and interest groups

• Policy research

• Use of the courts

• Grass roots advocacy

Women’s Health Policy and Advocacy Program

Women’s Health Policy and Advocacy Program

Women’s Health Policy and Advocacy Program

http://capwiz.com/lungcanceralliance/dbq/media/

Women’s Health Policy and Advocacy Program

http://capwiz.com/lungcanceralliance/dbq/media/

Women’s Health Policy and Advocacy Program

http://capwiz.com/lungcanceralliance/dbq/media/

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Contact:

Tracey Hyams, JD, MPHDirector, Women’s Health Policy and Advocacy ProgramConnors Center for Women’s Health and Gender BiologyBrigham and Women’s HospitalBoston, MA

thyams@partners.org

www.brighamandwomens.org/womenspolicy

Women’s Health Policy and Advocacy Program

Office for Women’s Office for Women’s CareersCareers

Thank you!Thank you!