Messaging Health Equity to Decision-makers

In this one-hour webinar, which is part of the Hot Topics series, Jennifer Messenger Heilbronner shares strategies for messaging health equity to decision-makers to ensure underresourced communities have access to new programs and funding created by a policy.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze values that impact decision-makers’ receptiveness to policies that advance health equity and protect vulnerable populations
• Describe messages that motivate decision-makers to purposefully advance health equity through public policy
• Identify ways to avoid the reflexive default to “individual responsibility” framing for health issues

Intended Audiences

Local, state, and tribal public health professionals; policy advocates working with decision-makers; health equity advocates

Presenter

Jennifer Messenger Heilbronner, Executive Vice President, Metropolitan Group, Portland, Oregon

Discussion Questions

1. If you have discussed health equity with policy or other decision-makers, what did you say and what was the reaction?
2. If you haven’t discussed health equity with policy or other decision-makers, what has prevented you from doing so?
3. Think about your service area. What populations/geographies in that area have the greatest health or economic need? What proof points could you offer about why new health policies should be implemented there first?

Resources

• Voices for Healthy Kids
• Health Equity Toolkit at Voices for Healthy Kids