From Collaborative From Collaborative Data Analysis to Data Analysis to
Impacting on Impacting on PolicyPolicy
Meredith Minkler, Dr.P.H.Meredith Minkler, Dr.P.H.Presentation at APHA/CEIPresentation at APHA/CEI
November 5, 2006November 5, 2006
Stages in Policy ProcessStages in Policy Process
Problem definition / identificationProblem definition / identification Setting the agendaSetting the agenda Constructing policy alternativesConstructing policy alternatives Deciding on the policy to pursueDeciding on the policy to pursue Implementing the policyImplementing the policy EvaluationEvaluation
-Kingdon -Kingdon 19951995
Policy work consistent with Policy work consistent with CBPR principlesCBPR principles
Is participatory and cooperativeIs participatory and cooperative Involves co-learning, systems development & Involves co-learning, systems development &
local capacity buildinglocal capacity building Is empoweringIs empowering Balances research and actionBalances research and action Addresses a community-identified needAddresses a community-identified need Contributes to a larger sense of communityContributes to a larger sense of community
Israel et al, 1998; Themba and Minkler, 2003 Israel et al, 1998; Themba and Minkler, 2003
Create opportunities for individuals and larger group to learn sills in leadership,
strategic planning, and negotiation
Peggy ShepardPeggy ShepardExecutive Director, WE ACTExecutive Director, WE ACT
West Harlem Environmental Action (WE ACT)Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health
The Partners:
Goals of the Goals of the CollaborationCollaboration
Study relationship between Study relationship between community level, environmental community level, environmental exposures, and environmental health exposures, and environmental health outcomesoutcomes
Translate findings into policy change Translate findings into policy change to create equity in environmental to create equity in environmental decision making and environmental decision making and environmental protectionprotection
8-Hour Vehicle Count
45 75.5
529
1,403
13.5 28
403
1,064
0
200
400
600
800
1,000
1,200
1,400
1,600
Edgecombe Ave. Bus Depot Harlem Hospital Amsterdam Ave.
Trucks
Bus
8-Hour Car and Ped Count
2,302
14,328
18,372
421
16,761
11,246
1,2251,126
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
16,000
18,000
20,000
Edgecombe Ave. Bus Depot Harlem Hospital Amsterdam Ave.
Cars
Pedestrians
Kinney et al, 2000
Range of PM2.5 Range of PM2.5 Concentrations at Harlem Concentrations at Harlem
“Hot Spot” Sites“Hot Spot” Sites
0
20
40
60
80
100
EPAStandard
Lowest Highest
PM2.5concentrations(μg/m^3)
15.1 μg/m322 μg/m3
69 μg/m3
Source: Kinney, et al. 2000
Setting an agenda and Setting an agenda and creating awarenesscreating awareness
Agenda: the list issue areas to which Agenda: the list issue areas to which government officials are paying government officials are paying attentionattention
-Kingdon, 1995 -Kingdon, 1995
WE ACT Postcard __ No TEXTWE ACT Postcard __ No TEXT
Bus shelter adsBus shelter ads
Alternative fuels Alternative fuels summitsummit
Public testimonyPublic testimony
Briefing officialsBriefing officials
Press conferencesPress conferences
Breathe At Your Own Risk
Creating awareness
Constructing policy Constructing policy alternativesalternatives
“…“…who is responsible for decision who is responsible for decision making?...what are the impacts of making?...what are the impacts of these types of policies? How does it these types of policies? How does it play out in terms of impacting our play out in terms of impacting our community, our organization and our community, our organization and our allies?”allies?”
Community partnerCommunity partner
Policy TargetsPolicy Targets
Metropolitan Transit Authority Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA)(MTA)
GovernorGovernor State Legislative Oversight State Legislative Oversight
CommitteeCommittee
WE ACT Policy GoalsWE ACT Policy Goals
Getting government to purchase Getting government to purchase 300 natural gas buses 300 natural gas buses
Getting largest depot converted to Getting largest depot converted to natural gasnatural gas
Having all new MTA depots Having all new MTA depots converted to compressed natural gasconverted to compressed natural gas
Media AdvocacyMedia Advocacy
The strategic use of mass media to The strategic use of mass media to advance a pubic policy agenda, or the advance a pubic policy agenda, or the agenda or concern of a local agenda or concern of a local community or groupcommunity or group
Adapted from USDHHS, 1989 and Wallack Adapted from USDHHS, 1989 and Wallack et al., 1999et al., 1999
Media Advocacy in Media Advocacy in contextcontext
Layers of strategyLayers of strategy
Overall Strategy: What do you want to see Overall Strategy: What do you want to see happen?happen?
Media Strategy: Through what channels?Media Strategy: Through what channels? Message Strategy: What do you want to say?Message Strategy: What do you want to say?
Access Strategy: How will get a journalist’s Access Strategy: How will get a journalist’s attention?attention?
Adapted from USDHHS, 1989 and Wallack et Adapted from USDHHS, 1989 and Wallack et al., 1999al., 1999
““Timing is everything”Timing is everything”
Have organizing effort coincide with Have organizing effort coincide with relevant special anniversaries, relevant special anniversaries, holidays etc.holidays etc.
Take advantage of event that is likely Take advantage of event that is likely to increase awareness or interestto increase awareness or interest
WE ACT Counter-ResponseWE ACT Counter-Response
MTAMTA ““Legitimate Legitimate
business business necessity”necessity”
- re. construction of - re. construction of depots at other depots at other sitessites
WE ACTWE ACT- If it’s unacceptable If it’s unacceptable
uptown, it’s uptown, it’s unacceptable unacceptable downtowndowntown
- Double standard = Double standard = ENVIRONMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL RACISMRACISM
Shepard, 2003
Academic partners’ role in Academic partners’ role in policy and advocacypolicy and advocacy
Participation in hearings, meetings with Participation in hearings, meetings with policy makers and community groups policy makers and community groups
Presenting findings at scientific meetingsPresenting findings at scientific meetings
““the goal of such activity was to spread the goal of such activity was to spread the word around in different settings the word around in different settings about the partnerships, the products, about the partnerships, the products, and the policies…” and the policies…”
-Academic partner
Plan B: New Target, New Plan B: New Target, New StrategiesStrategies
Crafting series of recommendations Crafting series of recommendations for for
mayor on strategies for better mayor on strategies for better enforcement of laws against bus enforcement of laws against bus idlingidling
Well framed legal actionsWell framed legal actions
Time consumingTime consuming Risky!Risky! CostlyCostly
But a potent policy strategy when other But a potent policy strategy when other approaches are not achieving successapproaches are not achieving success
Themba and Themba and Minkler, 2003Minkler, 2003
Strategic use of Title IV, Strategic use of Title IV, Civil Rights ActCivil Rights Act
Bars federal funding to any Bars federal funding to any program that discriminates on program that discriminates on the bases of racethe bases of race
Location of 6 of 8 NYC diesel Location of 6 of 8 NYC diesel bus depots in North Manhattan bus depots in North Manhattan = excessive and unfair= excessive and unfair
Some OutcomesSome Outcomes
MTA conversion of entire fleet to MTA conversion of entire fleet to “clean diesel”“clean diesel”
EPA initiation of community based EPA initiation of community based air monitoring in northern air monitoring in northern ManhattanManhattan
Tighter air quality standardsTighter air quality standards Adoption of New York State Adoption of New York State
Environmental Justice PolicyEnvironmental Justice Policy
The Partners: The Partners: Literacy for Environmental Literacy for Environmental
Justice / SF DPHJustice / SF DPH
Problem definition / Problem definition / identificationidentification
Situations become identified as Situations become identified as problems. “when we come to problems. “when we come to believe that we should do something believe that we should do something about them.about them.
Kingdon, 1995Kingdon, 1995
Partnership’s community survey Partnership’s community survey shows widespread concern with lack shows widespread concern with lack of access to healthy foodsof access to healthy foods
LEJ Survey of Products Sold in LEJ Survey of Products Sold in 11 BV/HP 11 BV/HP
Corner StoresCorner Stores
39%
26%
17%
13%
3%2%
Packaged Food
Alcohol & Cigarettes
Other Beverages
Non-Food Products
Meat
Produce
Constructing policy Constructing policy alternativesalternatives
Review model municipal Review model municipal ordinancesordinances
Craft one that reflects local Craft one that reflects local concerns and conditionsconcerns and conditions
Interview …Interview … Interim strategy: the “good Interim strategy: the “good
neighbor” programneighbor” program
Identifying potential Identifying potential partnerspartners
Supervisor MaxwellSupervisor Maxwell SF RedevelopmentSF Redevelopment Mayor’s Office of Mayor’s Office of
Economic Economic DevelopmentDevelopment
DPHDPH SF EnvironmentSF Environment LEJLEJ SF Power Co-opSF Power Co-op
Economic IncentivesEconomic Incentives Store BrandingStore Branding Free MarketingFree Marketing Energy Efficient Energy Efficient
AppliancesAppliances Marketing Marketing
AssistanceAssistance Group BuyingGroup Buying Building Building
ImprovementsImprovements Personnel Personnel
TrainingTraining City RecognitionCity Recognition
% Change in % Change in SalesSales
over 7 Monthsover 7 Months
Produce 5 15%Produce 5 15%
Alcohol 25 Alcohol 25 15%15%By Fall 06
Produce 15%Alcohol 10%Cigarettes 10%Profits 12%
Pilot Store
From Local to State From Local to State PolicyPolicy
AB 2384 Demonstration ProjectAB 2384 Demonstration Project Assistance to “mom and pop” stores Assistance to “mom and pop” stores
improving access to fresh fruits and improving access to fresh fruits and vegetablesvegetables
““Bonus” fruit and vegetable dollars to Bonus” fruit and vegetable dollars to food stamp recipientsfood stamp recipients
Impacting on policy through Impacting on policy through CBPR: Success FactorsCBPR: Success Factors
Presence of strong autonomous Presence of strong autonomous community partner organizations community partner organizations prior to the development of prior to the development of partnership.partnership.
Success Factors Success Factors (continued)(continued)
Appreciation by all partners of need Appreciation by all partners of need for solid scientific data as prerequisite for solid scientific data as prerequisite to making the case for policy actionto making the case for policy action
Commitment to “doing your Commitment to “doing your homework” – finding out what other homework” – finding out what other communities have done, who holds communities have done, who holds decision making authority, key decision making authority, key leverage points etc.leverage points etc.
Success Factors Success Factors (continued)(continued)
Facility for building strong Facility for building strong collaborations and alliances with collaborations and alliances with numerous and diverse numerous and diverse stakeholders stakeholders
Knowledge of and facility for Knowledge of and facility for attending to a variety of “steps” in attending to a variety of “steps” in the policy process, whether or not the policy process, whether or not the language of policy is spokenthe language of policy is spoken
CBPR Balancing ActCBPR Balancing Act
Necessary Skepticism
of Science
Action Imperative
of the Community
- Price and Behrens, 2003
Difficulty talking in terms of Difficulty talking in terms of policy goals and potential policy goals and potential impacts due to funding impacts due to funding constraints.constraints.
““We don’t do We don’t do policy – we just policy – we just educate educate legislators.”legislators.”
Community Community Partner, NCPartner, NC
Difficulties in the Difficulties in the Attribution of ContributionAttribution of Contribution
Reluctance to talk about policy roleReluctance to talk about policy role
Media tendency to single out a Media tendency to single out a contributor – often a politician!contributor – often a politician!
Potential for overstating the Potential for overstating the partnership’s rolepartnership’s role
Difficulty measuring Difficulty measuring longer term impacts of a longer term impacts of a policy change – who policy change – who follows up when the follows up when the money runs out?money runs out?
Top Related