Policy Action Institute
PORTAL
APHA’s Policy Action Institute brings together public health leaders, students and professionals for a collaborative event to discuss proven and proposed policy solutions to tackle today’s most pressing health threats at the local, state and federal levels. Explore our collection of curated resources from this year’s speakers!
FEATURED RESOURCES
Strategic Skills for Public Health Practice: Policy Engagement
Taking Action to Protect Public Health Authority: Learning Series
Ask an Advocate
Public Health Policy Information Sheet
This information sheet explores key policies related to critical public health issues, including mental health, environmental health and climate change, infectious diseases and vaccines, maternal health, nutrition and food security, and substance use. These were discussed during the June 18, 2024 Workshop, Drop the Mic: A Policy Playbook to Amplify Your Public Health Impact, hosted […]
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NEJM Article: Supporting Climate, Health, and Equity Under the Farm Bill
This resource discusses how the Farm Bill can promote better health and climate outcomes by supporting the production of healthy foods, sustainable agriculture, and equitable farm systems. It highlights the potential benefits of the Farm Bill, such as increased access to nutritious foods, improved air and water quality, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and support for […]
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Taking Action for Trans Rights: Our Favorite Tools, Resources, and Data
Trans is an inclusive term, which describes gender expansive people. In general, Transgender and Nonbinary (TGNB) People are individuals whose gender identity and expression are different from the cisgender norms most commonly accepted in our society. TGNB references a diversity of nuanced human identities, including: Transgender, Nonbinary, Intersex, Genderqueer, Gender Non-Conforming (GNC), Two Spirit, Agender, […]
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The Role Youth and Young Adults Play in Mental Health Legislation
This resource discusses Jake’s Law, legislation enacted by the Arizona State Legislature in 2020 to enhance access to behavioral health services, particularly for youth, and improve mental health parity in health insurance.
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Empowering Youth Advocates in North Carolina
This resource highlights Youth Empowered Solutions (YES!), a North Carolina-based nonprofit that empowers high school youth and adult allies to address community health issues through advocacy and policy change.
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Beyond Allyship: Leveraging Activism Tools to Improve Transgender and Nonbinary Health
Each month, dozens of new thinkpieces on Trans allyship cross my desk— 7 Steps to Be A Better Trans Ally in 2022 Allyship Means Showing Trans People We Can Trust You Actionable Allyship for Introverts and Trauma Survivors As a queer, nonbinary person working in public health communications, I often wonder: how many of these […]
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LGBTQ+ People
LGBTQ+ people are individuals whose gender, sexual orientation, and/or romantic orientation is different from the heterosexual, cisgender norms most commonly-accepted in our society. LGBTQ+ is an umbrella acronym that references an incredible diversity of nuanced human identities, including: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Agender, Two Spirit, Nonbinary, Gender Fluid, Genderqueer, Gender Non-Conforming (GNC), Asexual, Aromantic, […]
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Reexamining SNAP Policies for College Students
This is the third in a series regarding food insecurity among the student population. Read Food Insecurity on College Campuses and Innovative Initiatives on College Campuses Addressing Food Insecurity for more insight into this subject. When it comes to alleviating hunger on college campuses, one major policy worth considering is giving students access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program […]
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SNAP Supports Health Equity: Recommendations For the Reauthorization of the Farm Bill
This resource discusses the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), highlighting its role in providing healthy food access to participants, including children, seniors, and people with disabilities. It emphasizes the need for policy changes to improve SNAP, such as eliminating work requirements, increasing benefit levels, and expanding eligibility, to ensure better food security and support for […]
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Transgender and Nonbinary People
Transgender and Nonbinary (TGNB) people are individuals whose gender identity and expression are different from the cisgender norms most commonly-accepted in our society. TGNB is an umbrella phrase which references a diversity of nuanced human identities, including: Transgender, Nonbinary, Intersex, Genderqueer, Gender Non-Conforming (GNC), Two Spirit, Agender, Bigender, Gender Fluid, Gender Flux, Questioning, and many […]
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Farmworkers
Farmworkers play an essential role in a healthy, functioning food system. Farmworkers primarily contribute to the safe, efficient, and stable production and delivery of fruits, vegetables, and other agricultural products that contribute to the economy and food security efforts in United States agriculture. Farmworkers can generally be bucketed into two groups: self-employed farm workers with […]
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2023 Farm Bill: Advancing Public Health at the Intersection of Food, Environment, and Economic Policy
Every five years, Congress passes the “Farm Bill,” a large piece of packaged legislation that was originally designed to support the U.S. food and agriculture systems, and today sets national policy on agriculture, farming, nutrition, conservation, and forestry. Its resulting impacts range from grocery store supply chains and school lunches to education, climate justice, jobs, […]
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Food Access
Everyone deserves access to healthy and affordable foods. Food access refers to a person’s ability to obtain healthy foods, shaped by availability and affordability. Food access plays an integral role in overall food security status, and is an important public health issue, as approximately 1 in 9 people in the United States were food insecure […]
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Public Health Under Siege
This resource addresses the challenges facing public health, such as defunding and anti-science sentiment, and advocates for bold, policy-driven actions starting at the local level to improve population health. Using real-world examples, it emphasizes the importance of policy in overcoming health crises and inequities.
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Decriminalizing Abortion: How Our Movements Can Organize in Solidarity With Each Other
This resource discusses the expanding surveillance and criminalization of mutual aid, self-managed care, and bodily autonomy, emphasizing the growing attempts to criminalize pregnant people, parents, and health care providers.
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The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Recommendations To Support Health and Equity in the Reauthorization of the Farm Bill
This resource discusses the importance of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in providing food security for families. It highlights key findings on SNAP’s impact, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, and offers recommendations for improving the program by eliminating work requirements, increasing benefits, and broadening eligibility to ensure greater food access and security.
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5 Ways Health Departments Can Help Ensure Healthy Voting: 2022
This resource discusses the intersection between voting and public health, highlighting how voting impacts the social determinants of health and emphasizing the importance of ensuring access to safe and healthy voting, especially for marginalized communities. It outlines challenges such as voter suppression and the impact of COVID-19 on voting, offering five recommendations for health departments […]
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Healthy Equity Now: A Federal Policy Platform to Advance Public Health
This resource calls on the Biden-Harris administration to take immediate action to address systemic health inequities and promote racial justice, focusing on economic security, housing justice, community safety, and strengthening public health infrastructure by centering the needs and leadership of impacted communities.
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A Guide For Implementing Media Roundtables
This resource provides tactics, tools, and resources to help plan a media roundtable.
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Human Impact Partners: 2023 Year in Review
This resource highlights efforts to strengthen relationships, combat structural racism, and promote equity and healing within the public health movement. It emphasizes the importance of a multi-sectoral approach to achieving health equity and racial justice and includes an overview of the year’s achievements and key insights for future work.
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Public Health Awakened
This resource is about organizing public health workers to advocate for health, equity, and justice using their collective voice, evidence, expertise, and resources. It promotes taking collective action, building power for communities to thrive, and offers resources, news, and opportunities for involvement.
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State of Black America
This resource is an annual report by the National Urban League that assesses progress and challenges faced by Black Americans. The 2024 edition reflects on the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and discusses ongoing threats to civil rights, urging action to protect and strengthen these rights.
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CityHealth
CityHealth is a website that provides evidence-based policies to promote health and well-being in cities, with a focus on affordable housing, complete streets, healthy food, and tobacco. The website aims to help cities across the United States create healthier and more equitable communities by implementing these policies and offers a rating system for cities based […]
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Reclaim Your Vote
This resource is a campaign dedicated to promoting voter registration, education, and activation. It emphasizes the importance of civic engagement, protecting voting rights, and empowering communities to drive change through their voices and votes.
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Strengthening Partnerships Between Public Health and Community-Based Organizations
This resource offers recommendations and a roadmap based on insights from health department and CBO leaders to enhance partnerships and address public health challenges. It aims to promote equitable solutions, better community health outcomes, and inclusive decision-making processes between these entities.
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CityHealth Executive Summary Report
This document provides a summary of City Health’s 2017 report on cities that are leading the way on policies shown to improve people’s health and quality of life.
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CityHealth 2018 Report Methodology
This document contains a detailed description of the methodology used for CityHealth’s report on that cities are leading the way on policies shown to improve people’s health and quality of life.
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Voting and Health: Evidence and New Tools for Action
This webinar discusses the significant link between voting and health, exploring how voting acts as a political determinant of health. Speakers share insights on building capacity to address political determinants, introduce the Health and Democracy Index, and propose actions to enhance civic engagement and advance health equity.
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Play, Read, and Vote for Health
This resource discusses the interconnectedness of health and democracy, emphasizing the importance of play, reading, and voting for a healthier nation. It highlights the role of public health professionals in promoting voter participation, advocating for inclusive policies, and engaging with policymakers to address public health issues effectively.
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Health is Always on the Ballot
This resource discusses the relationship between voter turnout, public health, and city civic engagement. It highlights the impact of low voter turnout on policy decisions, barriers to voting, strategies to increase voter engagement, and the benefits of improving social cohesion through civic participation.
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Healthy Voting
This site promotes healthy voting practices and emphasizes the link between voting and community health outcomes. It guides different voting options, deadlines, and rules based on state election laws, aiming to encourage civic engagement for a healthier community.
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Vote For Health
This tool aims to simplify the voting process and highlight the impact of voting on public health. It provides resources such as a voting toolkit, event information, volunteer opportunities, and ways to spread awareness.
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LGBTQ+ Health Equity Library
LGBTQ+ people belong everywhere. They deserve to live open, authentic lives without fear of discrimination, harassment, judgement, or violence. Despite decades of tireless advocacy, however, LGBTQ+ people still experience disproportionately worse health outcomes, endure ongoing discrimination, and are four times more likely to experience violence than their straight and cisgender peers. These disparities are often further […]
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Ask an Advocate: DermaTeens
This story discusses a representative of DermaTeen’s advocacy work, experiences as a first-time advocate, values in advocacy, and advice for aspiring advocates.
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Ask an Advocate
This resource features discussions with advocates from different groups or caucuses within the public health community. The topics include LGBTQ health, Latino health, dermatology for teenagers (DermaTeens), melanoma awareness (IMPACT Melanoma), and public health institutes.
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Ask an Advocate: LGBTQ Health Caucus
This story discusses a member of the LGBTQ Health Caucus’s experiences as an advocate, his values in advocacy work, and advice for aspiring advocates.
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VFHK Preemption Explainer Video
This resource aims to educate viewers on preemption—a policy tool that restricts lower levels of government from enacting specific measures. It highlights how preemption often obstructs local initiatives to improve community well-being, particularly in areas with significant disparities.
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Campaign Resource Library
This resource library offers a wide array of resources relating to disciplines of public health that can be used in campaigns. Some topics include: media advocacy, health equity, and research and data collection.
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Preemption Message Manual
This toolkit discusses the importance of preemption and helps users advocate for local decision-making. It includes audience motivations and concerns, tested language, and recommendations for communicating and advocacy related to preemption.
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Campaign Toolkits: Preemption
This guide provides advocacy materials for public health preemption. The resource introduces preemption and provides guides for recruitment, engagement, and mobilization to build campaigns against public health preemption. The website includes additional resources and successful examples of public health advocacy.
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