By Scott Burris
Kathy Ward is a veteran public health worker in Nebraska. She has a neat idea, which I summarize here in mostly her words:
Public health policy needs more proponents who are knowledgeable and able to express their positions freely. The shortage of advocates presents a danger for public health in a time of anti-government attitudes, uninformed public health policies, deficit reduction efforts, and looming budget cuts to the public health programs that protect our country.
A 2008 study by the Association of Schools of Public Health indicated that 23% of the current public health work force–almost 110,000 workers–will be eligible to retire by 2012. This generation of baby boomer public health workers has a high level of expertise in public health; passion for improving the public’s health; and strong partnerships with nonprofit, government, and private health organizations. They have the credibility to be effective spokespersons for public health and to influence its partners.
Why not use these assets to build a movement of public health advocates?
• Enlist national public health organizations such as ASTHO, the Chronic Disease Directors Association, and the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs in finding and enlisting public health advocates.
• Find advocates through similar organizations at state and local levels, such as state public health associations and nonprofits such as the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association.
• Build linkages with other national associations such as AARP. Consider public health in the broader sense, including in this effort retired Medicaid professionals who can knowledgeably describe the losses that will occur to the public from cutting Medicaid programs.
• Provide training in advocacy through webinars conducted with public interest lobbyists and health associations that employ advocacy staff
Sounds like a sensible idea to me. Mobilizing a lot of effective volunteers at a low cost. What do you think?