Advocating for Policies to Improve Health
Policy and Health
Health outcomes are influenced by many factors—including social, economic, environmental, and behavioral factors—that are or could be regulated through policy. Learn More
Policy can be a very effective and sustainable tool for health improvement. For example, policies may create standards, requirements, or mandates to assure conditions for health, or permanently establish funds or programs that promote health.
What is Policy?
Policies are binding and enforceable written statements that apply to a geographic area, institution, physical space, and/or group of people. Policies are made by public institutions, for example laws passed by state governments or ordinances adopted by local councils, as well as private entities, for example, policies adopted by a landlord that apply to their properties.
Adapted from ChangeLab Solutions
Policy as a permanent solution to population health challenges
The National School Lunch Act
The National School Lunch Program is a federally-assisted meal program that provides low-cost or free lunches to school children. Since its establishment under the National School Lunch Act of 1946, the NSLP has played a critical role in supporting food and nutrition assistance for millions of children across the United States. Its impact on child food security for children from low income families cannot be overstated. In effect, the National School Lunch Act created a permanent policy solution to improving child food security and nutrition. The example demonstrates the scale of impact that policy can have on topics of public health significance.
All policies influence health and well-being, not just those that target health issues like child nutrition or focus on healthcare and public health sectors. Importantly, transportation, housing, education, environmental, and economic policies have major bearing on health and well-being. Through cross-sector collaboration, public health stewards shape our policy landscape to assure vital community conditions that all people and places need to thrive.
Policies influence health in both intended and unintended ways. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, federal, state, and local authorities passed policy to establish eviction moratoria and other renter-supportive measures as a means to urgently stabilize housing and protect the health and well-being of individuals and families.
Public Health Stewards work with purpose, in partnership, and across sectors and settings to advance thriving.
Policies also have unintended health impacts, which may be good or bad. Municipal policies, for example, can create neighborhood improvement plans and projects to redevelop brownfields, improve parks, stimulate local economies and implement other changes that make a place more livable. While such changes can improve vital community conditions, they can also incur poor well-being outcomes like displacement of lower income residents due to gentrification when anti-displacement policiesare in place.
By assessing the health impacts of policies and using that information to advance informed policymaking, public health stewards leverage policy to protect and improve health and well-being.
Public Health Stewards work with purpose, in partnership, and across sectors and settings to advance thriving.
Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is a method to assess the potential health effects or consequences—positive and negative—of a proposed policy, program, or project.
Engaging with Policy
Advocate for policies that improve population health, well-being, and equity. See more
Advocate against policies with harmful effects on individuals, communities and institutions that assure the public’s health. See more
Analyze policy to understand potential health impacts. See more
Collaborate with stakeholders to write and improve policy. See more
Evaluate the health impacts of policies being implemented. See more
Policy Topic Guides
This module provides a starting point for identifying policies to improve population health, well-being, and equity. It includes a beta version of the Public Health Policy Library, an emerging set of policies with the potential to improve the public’s health. Policies are organized into topic areas, accompanied by key narrative and data points, and federal policy examples.
ADVOCATING FOR
Mental & Behavioral Health
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Environmental Health & Climate Resilience
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Infectious Disease & Vaccination
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Maternal & Infant Health
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Nutrition & Food Security
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Substance Use Prevention
Policies and information contained in this module are based on the Public Health Policy Information Sheet which was prepared by WE Public Health, LLC for the American Public Health Association and Public Health AmeriCorps.
Continue to learn how to get started with your advocacy journey.