Strategic Skills for Public Health Practice: Policy Engagement

Authors: Shelley Hearne, DrPH, Keshia M. Pollack Porter, PhD, Katrina S. Forrest, JD
Released: August 2023 Length: 200 Pages Published By: APHA Press Price: $42.00
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Policy Engagement is a field guide for public health practitioners, from government workers to nonprofit leaders, on engaging with policymakers to create a healthier, more equitable world. This easy-to-read introduction to policy advocacy and decision-making offers a toolkit of concrete, practical, and insightful strategies for informing and influencing policymakers.

Part of the Strategic Skills for Public Health Practice series, Policy Engagement demystifies policymaking to help public health professionals become engaged, energized, and effective advocates for policies that drive better health.

Table of contents
Read introduction
  • Why policy matters to public health professionals
  • How policy is made, and where public health fits in
  • Ways to engage in policy at all levels
  • How to approach policy through an equitable lens
  • How to select the right policies and forms of engagement

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What people are saying about
Strategic Skills for Public Health Practice: Policy Engagement

Oxiris Barbot, MD President and CEO, United Hospital Fund

Public health does its best work at the intersection of science, policy, and politics. This primer demystifies what it means to “do policy work” and makes a clear case for why the term advocacy should no longer be said in hushed tones. This book is a must-read for anyone new to the practice of public health or for those interested in advocating for sustainable health equity through structural remedies. 

Oxiris Barbot, MD President and CEO, United Hospital Fund
Richard Besser, MD President and CEO, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Former ABC News Chief Health and Medical Editor; Former Acting Director of the CDC

This outstanding primer will give you the courage and confidence to work for the changes we need: policies proven to increase health equity and driven by public health leaders. Read this book, roll up your sleeves, and dive into the world of policy and politics. 

Richard Besser, MD President and CEO, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Former ABC News Chief Health and Medical Editor; Former Acting Director of the CDC
J. Nadine Gracia, MD, MSCE President and CEO, Trust for America’s Health Former HHS Deputy Assistant Secretary of Minority Health and Director of the Office of Minority Health

Engaging in the policymaking process is vital for public health professionals to promote and protect the health of all communities. This excellent primer provides all the essentials: practical guidance, real-world examples, and a strategic approach toward influencing policy and advancing health equity.

J. Nadine Gracia, MD, MSCE President and CEO, Trust for America’s Health Former HHS Deputy Assistant Secretary of Minority Health and Director of the Office of Minority Health

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