Fighting for Public Health: How Do We Strengthen Public Health Advocacy at Local, State, and National Levels?

Public health’s ability to protect and promote healthy communities is being directly impacted by the politicization of once-widely accepted practices such as vaccinations and the declaration of public health emergencies. In a climate of eroding trust and falling investments in public health, a critical question has emerged: How do we strengthen public health advocacy at local, state, and national levels?

Attend this webinar to obtain insights and the key take-aways from a feasibility study, commissioned by the Network, in which public health advocates and leaders from 45 organizations were asked that question. Their responses provided a picture of the current state of affairs in public health and opportunities to strengthen the voice of public health and our partners and friends in advocating for evidence-based, sound public health approaches and policies, and for the profession and practice of public health itself.

By attending this webinar, you will:

• Hear about the tensions circulating within public health that study participants identified as needing to be voiced and acknowledged in order to strengthen advocacy.
• See the six opportunities to strengthen advocacy identified through the study and corresponding ideas about how to seize on those opportunities.
• Hear from two state public health advocacy organizations on their efforts to elevate support for the public’s health.
• Learn about ways to improve the advocacy skills of public health and health-related workforces.

Moderator:

• Dawn Hunter, J.D., M.P.H., Director, Network for Public Health Law—Southeastern Region Office

Presenters:

• Maddy Frey, President, Frey Evaluation
• Martha Katz, Health Policy Consultant
• Iyanrick John, J.D., M.P.H., VP of External Affairs, ChangeLab Solutions
• Jake Williams, CEO, Healthier Colorado
• Lisa Dworak, Executive Director, Confluence Public Health Alliance of Montana