choose a health care law or policy at the state or national level, then write a letter of advocacy to a state legislator for support of the health issue. For the second part, you will demonstrate your ability to analyze your local community. You will research government organizations and a community agency of your choice. You will analyze current community needs and communicable diseases, developing an educational program for the selected organization.
Part I: Advocacy Letter
Read Community Toolbox Chapter 33 Section 1: Writing Letters to Elected Officials from the Community Toolbox: ctb.ku.edu.
Assume you are a public health nurse manager working for an organization in your state that garners support for key public health issues.
The CEO of your organization has requested that you complete the following:
Identify 1 global health care issue that impacts U.S. health populations in your zip code through law or policy at the state or national level, for which it is crucial that continued funding be approved. Visit the Healthy People 2030 website to help identify an issue.
Research the law or policy to determine:
The main purpose of the selected law or policy
The main population affected by this law or policy
How this law or policy affects the population it is intended to serve
The impact of current domestic and global issues on this law or policy
Predict the need for advocacy (support of and strategic approach) for the selected health issue using data from a community health needs assessment (CHNA) report from a public hospital in your zip code and ISP reports. Investigate your state legislature or U.S. Congress (Congress.gov) websites to determine if there is pending action or established policy supporting the identified health issue.
Identify 1 state or federal legislator representing your selected zip code. Use your state legislature directory or the U.S. Congress Directory.
Determine the legislator’s support for the health issue in your community. If necessary, call the legislator’s office and ask an aide what actions are being taken on behalf of the community on that issue.
Write a letter of advocacy to the legislator regarding the health issue on behalf of your organization. Use the 4-paragraph format described in the blog post:
Acknowledge the legislator.
Write a compelling argument about the importance of the health issue in the local community.
Provide data supporting your proposed strategy for the issues.
Establish yourself as a professional ally for the legislator.
Format your assignment as a concise 500-word letter. Edit fiercely!
Include a reference page for the CHNA, ISP, legislative research, and legislator.
Note: You do not need to send the letter to meet the requirements of this assignment.
Part II: Community Education
In this part of the assignment, you will demonstrate your ability to analyze your local community. You will research an agency you choose, with a focus on current community needs and communicable diseases. You will prepare an outline for a program you might offer to the chosen agency. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, you would focus on teaching community members how to mitigate the virus and prevent further spread. In this assignment, you will educate an identified population about all local communicable diseases, such as TB, hepatitis, and STDs, and chronic illnesses, such as diabetes.
Step 1:
Examine the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT analysis) for 2 different government agencies in relation to communicable diseases and chronic illnesses. (Note: These agencies do not include the agency with whom you will work in Step 2 of this assessment.)
Research 2 different government agencies to understand and learn about their missions. Select the agencies from the following:
Homeless shelters
Senior centers
Childcare facilities
Schools
Places of worship
Community organizations
Jails or prisons
Mental health facilities
National Council on Aging
Community clinics
Develop questions and methods for data collection at each agency.
Assess how each agency currently manages and addresses communicable diseases and chronic illnesses, including vaccination administration.
Conduct a SWOT analysis for each of the agencies:
Assess internal strengths within each agency in relation to its mission.
Assess internal weaknesses faced by each agency in relation to its mission.
Assess external environmental threats facing the agency.
Assess external opportunities available to the agency.
Prepare a 350-word summary of your SWOT analysis.
Step 2:
Choose a local community agency with whom you might work. Examples include, but are not limited to:
Elder day health
Child daycare
School setting
Place of worship
Community clinic
Health agency
Homeless shelter or service
Red Cross
Insurance company case manager or public health nurse
Prison
Conduct a SWOT analysis for your chosen agency.
Prepare a 350-word summary of your SWOT analysis.
