Annual Health Education Advocacy Summit

Annual Health Education Advocacy Summit

• Started 1998• Coalition of National Health

Education Organizations

• SOPHE – Summit coordinator

SOPHE Overview

• Founded in 1950; relocated to Wash, DC – 1995

• Mission - To provide leadership to the profession of health education

• 4000 Members – nationally & in 20 chapters

• 2 Peer-reviewed journals

• 2 National meetings

• 4 Cooperative agreements– Policy/systems change

SOPHE ChaptersSOPHE Chapters

SOPHE CHAPTERS

Annual Health Education Advocacy Summit

• Early Summit focus on leaders, professionals– IOM Report: Who Will

Keep Public Healthy?

• Annual attendance – 200– 60% students, faculty– Student scholarships

• Website – www.healtheducationadvocate.org

• Open to other sponsors– Council of Accredited MPH

Programs– National REACH Coalition

2010 Summit Priorities

• Increased Appropriations for CDC NCCDPHP– Racial & Ethnic Approaches to

Community Health– Division of Adolescent and School

Health (DASH) – coordinated school health

– Preventive Health & Health Services Block Grant

• Reauthorization of the Elementary & Secondary Education Act to include Health Education

Summit Objectives

• Develop new advocacy knowledge & skills to become effective policy advocates at federal/state/local levels

• Articulate federal policy priorities related to school/public health education

• Develop/enhance personal relationship with policymakers

• Identify new colleagues to strengthen future advocacy efforts

Summit Agenda

Saturday Afternoon • Intensive skill building – tracks for beginner to

advanced (including dedicated faculty session)

Sunday• Climate of Congress• Presentation/Discussion of Priority Health Issues• Making Hill Visits – Presentations,

Demonstrations• Small group planning and practice

Monday• Capitol Hill Orientation (Life on the Hill)• Hill Visits• Online documentation of responses

Summit Presentations

Hill Visit Planning

Capitol Hill Briefing

Class Photo on Capitol Hill

Meeting with a Legislator/Legislative Aide

Experiential Learning

• Make own Hill appointments• Assigned Homework

– Research Legislator(s)•Committees, Priorities•Legislator’s History to PH issues

– Local ph stories, experiences • Onsite Role plays• Small group planning • Going on Hill visits• Follow-up

Experiential Learning• Make own Hill appointments• Assigned Homework

– Research Legislator(s)• Committees, Priorities• Legislator’s History to PH issues

– Local ph stories, experiences

• Summit role plays• Small group planning • Going on Hill visits• Follow-up

– Legislator– Class presentations, newsltr articles

Before

During

After

Other Post Summit Ideas

Connect to student service initiativesProvide program letter for student

portfolio Incorporate student “case studies”

in future coursesOrganize campus/local summitsEncourage ltr to editor, op-eds in

campus/local paper Involve Summit graduates in

presenting and/or mentoring other students at future Summits

Summit Student Testimonials

“I really enjoyed the experience that I had at the Advocacy Summit …it brought to reality what we had been studying in class; it made me change my concept that politics is something you cannot change.”

“The Summit helped teach me advocacy skills I am using now and will use throughout my future career.”

“Today, I feel comfortable and confident to speak out and push for change in my personal areas of interest .... I look forward to participating in next year's Advocacy Summit.”

What Faculty Can Do

Publicize on campus, dept.Tie to policy courses and

initiativesHave students and faculty share

past experiencesSeek internal/external fundingHold a preparatory meeting

– Discuss the process– Discuss outcomes and learning– Link to courses, student

organizations

Long-Term Summit Impact

CDC DASH appropriations increase Influence Congressional questions during

testimony Support/recognition of opinion leaders Enhanced organizational training by

summit sponsors Advocacy days on campuses/state

chapters Summit graduates moving into politics Increased capacity to mobilize across

profession

ROB SIMMONS, DRPH, CPH, MPH, CHESROBERT.SIMMONS@JEFFERSON.EDU

ELAINE AULD, MPH, CHESEAULD@SOPHE.ORG

Thank you.

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