Advocacy and Policy Committee

Meeting on a regular basis, our Advocacy and Policy Committee pro-actively creates a public health policy legislative agenda, guiding our members’ advocacy efforts with Montana legislators.  During Montana legislative sessions, we review legislation, provide testimony and coordinate grassroots lobbying efforts to advance public health initiatives.  We are also active on the federal level, monitoring legislation and communicating with our Congressional delegation on matters of public health importance. 

Working with the MPHA Executive Board, the Advocacy and Policy Committee also develops resolutions and position papers. 

Issues of priority focus for MPHA include:

1. Full Implementation for the Affordable Care Act and Efforts to Improve Access to Care
2. Maintenance of Prevention and Public Health Fund
3. Tobacco Prevention and Control Initiatives
4. Obesity Prevention
5. Sexual Health and Education
6. Public Health Quality Improvement through Accreditation
7. Enhance Investments in Public Health

Over the next year, the MPHA Advocacy and Policy Committee will continue meeting on a regular basis.  Some of our upcoming efforts will include:

• Engaging and collaborating with the Association of Montana Public Health Officials and the Montana Environmental Health Association on legislative policy efforts
• Collaborating with other organizations to expand advocacy capacity
• Monitoring the activities of legislative interim committees and as appropriate provide testimony
• Developing advocacy training opportunities for MPHA members at public health gatherings such as the MPHA Annual meeting

The MPHA Advocacy and Policy Committee generally holds a teleconference webinar the 3rd Monday of every month over the noon hour. Please join us as we engage our members, partners and policy makers in moving public health forward in Montana.

MPHA’s Action Alert

If you are unable to join the Advocacy and Policy Committee, you can still be involved in our public health policy efforts by joining the more than 200 people on MPHA’s Action Alert team.  As a member of the Team, you will receive public health policy action alerts asking you to communicate with policymakers on the state and federal level about issues that are of public health importance.  Join the Team by sending your name, email and personal address to Lora Wier at health@3rivers.net. If you are unable to receive advocacy alerts on your work email account, provide your personal email.

Recent Advocacy Efforts

PHACT (Public Health Action) Campaign Activities

 

Helpful Links

American Public Health Association
National Association of County and City Health Officials
The Prevention Institute
Thomas – federal legislative information source
Montana Legislative Branch