Advocacy Skill Building The North Dakota Process
Debbie Swanson North Dakota Public Health Association
American Public Health Association Annual Meeting October 28, 2012
North Dakota Legislature Citizen legislature Meets for 80 days, every two yearsND residents have easy access to
legislators Every bill receives a committee hearing
Advocacy Training North Dakota Public Health Association
Sponsors “Public Health Day at the Legislature” Local Health Departments formed ND State
Association of City and County Health Officials (ND SACCHO)
Organizations collaborated to sponsor advocacy training prior to the legislative session
Training Topics How a bill becomes a law in North DakotaPolitical process and players Advocacy vs. lobbying Successful advocacy strategies Developing relationships with legislators NDPHA and SACCHO policy positions
Public Health Day at the Legislature Opportunity for relationship building Provide information on public health topics Public health professionals encouraged to
attend or testify at committee hearings Advocates have the opportunity to “shadow”
legislators during the day
Advocacy in Action
Health Policy IssuesState funding for local public health
departments Smoke free law Tobacco tax Healthy eating and physical activity initiativesGraduated driver’s licensing Primary seat belt law
OpportunitiesNorth Dakota is projected to have a state
budget surplus of $1.6 billion by July 1, 2013 Opportunities for significant public sector
investment in public health to address growing burden of chronic disease and health disparity
Strengthen and broaden partnerships to achieve public health goals
Challenges Public health will need to significantly increase
visibility and advocacy efforts with few resourcesReluctance by policy makers to implement
provisions in the Affordable Care Act Per capita income has increased at the same time
as an increasing rate of povertySignificant needs for infrastructure
improvements, housing, education, and all other sectors due to oil impact in western counties
What will the future of public health look like in North Dakota with increased advocacy?
