Data

General Issues
Health
Specific Topics
Health Care Reform
Public Participation
Location
United States
Scope of Influence
National
Links
Community Voices for Health Website
Public Agenda "Community Voice for Health" Page
Start Date
Ongoing
Yes
Time Limited or Repeated?
A single, defined period of time
Purpose/Goal
Develop the civic capacities of individuals, communities, and/or civil society organizations
Make, influence, or challenge decisions of government and public bodies
Make, influence, or challenge decisions of private organizations
Approach
Civil society building
Co-production in form of partnership and/or contract with private organisations
Leadership development
Spectrum of Public Participation
Involve
Targeted Demographics
Youth
Low-Income Earners
Racial/Ethnic Groups
General Types of Methods
Collaborative approaches
Deliberative and dialogic process
General Types of Tools/Techniques
Facilitate dialogue, discussion, and/or deliberation
Collect, analyse and/or solicit feedback
Propose and/or develop policies, ideas, and recommendations
Legality
Yes
Facilitators
Yes
Face-to-Face, Online, or Both
Both
Primary Organizer/Manager
Public Agenda
Funder
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Type of Funder
Philanthropic Organization
Staff
Yes

CASE

Community Voices for Health

December 1, 2021 mtownsend
November 30, 2021 Patrick L Scully, Participedia Team
November 11, 2021 mtownsend
General Issues
Health
Specific Topics
Health Care Reform
Public Participation
Location
United States
Scope of Influence
National
Links
Community Voices for Health Website
Public Agenda "Community Voice for Health" Page
Start Date
Ongoing
Yes
Time Limited or Repeated?
A single, defined period of time
Purpose/Goal
Develop the civic capacities of individuals, communities, and/or civil society organizations
Make, influence, or challenge decisions of government and public bodies
Make, influence, or challenge decisions of private organizations
Approach
Civil society building
Co-production in form of partnership and/or contract with private organisations
Leadership development
Spectrum of Public Participation
Involve
Targeted Demographics
Youth
Low-Income Earners
Racial/Ethnic Groups
General Types of Methods
Collaborative approaches
Deliberative and dialogic process
General Types of Tools/Techniques
Facilitate dialogue, discussion, and/or deliberation
Collect, analyse and/or solicit feedback
Propose and/or develop policies, ideas, and recommendations
Legality
Yes
Facilitators
Yes
Face-to-Face, Online, or Both
Both
Primary Organizer/Manager
Public Agenda
Funder
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Type of Funder
Philanthropic Organization
Staff
Yes

Community Voices for Health is focused on strengthening civic infrastructure to create more pathways for the public’s voice in health policy.

Problems and Purpose

The idea of “community voices” in health policy comes from the insight that community voices have not always been included in shaping health policy, particularly the voices of youth, people of color, and lower-income people, among others. As part of an effort to address this problem, Community Voices for Health (CVH) is focused on strengthening civic infrastructure to create more pathways for the public’s voice in health policy, particularly among underrepresented populations. The project is funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and is co-led by Public Agenda, Altarum, and grantees in six states.

Background History and Context

The CVH project began with a pilot in 2019 in Pennsylvania. In that pilot, Public Agenda conducted an initial "engagement scan," which is a landscape analysis of what engagement looks like at the local level, including assets, challenges, networks, and model engagement initiatives. The engagement scan is an approach that allows Public Agenda to build on existing engagement infrastructure, rather than starting from scratch. 

After the pilot, the official Community Voices for Health initiative launched with a process to identify civic engagement projects aimed at strengthening health policy in 6 states - Nevada, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Colorado, and New Mexico.

Organizing, Supporting, and Funding Entities

Robert Wood Johnson funded this initiative with Public Agenda, Altarum, and six state grantees, each of whom were awarded about $600,000 USD.

Participant Recruitment and Selection

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Altarum, and Public Agenda worked together to score grant proposals from states across the country and select the 6 final Community Voices for Health grantees. Starting in April 2020, each state created its own advisory council and steering committee for their respective projects. 

Methods and Tools Used

Public Agenda and Altarum provided state grantees with supports including public engagement technical assistance (coaching) on engagement design; workshops on equity, outreach, and sustainability; and customized supports for each state project that included trainings about Photovoice, facilitator training, and survey panels. 

What Went On: Process, Interaction, and Participation

Each state had a unique public engagement project aimed at improving health outcomes:

  • Georgia worked with community health workers to ensure their voice and advocacy was represented in health policy outcomes.
  • Pennsylvania worked to create a survey panel to hear the voices of rural communities, people of color, and non-native English speakers.
  • Colorado created a survey panel to hear the voices of African American populations.
  • New Mexico worked with tribal health councils who, in turn, worked with their constituents at the local level.
  • Nevada collaborated with LGBTQ+ and youth experiencing homelessness to create a network to bring issues youth are facing to the state legislature. The network included youth who are uninsured, youth experiencing homelessness, and youth facing mental health challenges.
  • Indiana worked to create a county wide engagement model of public participation in health that affects both practice and law, through processes of sustained dialogic engagement

Influence, Outcomes, and Effects

The project does not conclude until the summer of 2022, but initial outcomes include:

  • Increased presence of youth networks in Nevada legislation
  • Tribal councils undergoing equity trainings
  • Community health workers participating in advocacy and engagement workshops

Analysis and Lessons Learned

See Also

References

External Links

Notes