CDC Policy Process

Overview

In general, a policy brief outlines the rationale for choosing a particular policy recommendation or course of action in a current policy debate. The purpose of the brief is to convince your target audience of the urgency of the current problem and the need to adopt a particular policy or course of action. As a public health professional, you will likely be asked to write a policy brief during your career. You must choose a designated racial or social health disparity. You must analyze the problem, examine several potential policies that may solve this problem, and provide your own recommended policy solution. Please provide biblical support for your recommendation as well. Describe how specific Scripture applies. 

Instructions

Use any of the following official publications to assist you in finding an appropriate health disparity on which to base your policy: CDC, AHRQ, HHS, HRSA, WHO, OMH, 2020. These links can be found on the Policy Brief Assignment page under Policy Brief Resources.

Good policy briefs are 2-4 pages long, are focused on a single issue, are evidence-based, and are persuasive in nature. A policy brief is different from a traditional academic research paper in that it is written to a specific audience (either the general public and/or decision makers). Policy briefs also typically include visuals. Therefore, your brief should include at least two visuals that adheres to principles of good visual communication (is labeled well, explained in the brief, is referred to, appears on the page in a way that is spatially appropriate, etc.). 

Start this assignment with understanding the Public Health Policy making process.

Please begin by accessing the resources below and reviewing how public health professionals in the CDC approach creating and advocating for public health policy.

Expectation: The CDC’s Policy Process will be used in discussing your 3 critiques of policy options and identify how you could use the CDC’s Policy Process in your recommended policy.

CDC Policy Process:

Expectation: You will offer a realistic, supported policy recommendation to address selected root causes. Specifically, and effectively provide a solution to the identified disparity and address the primary root cause you identified previously. Cite references that support your approach with a similar population. Use the CDC’s policy process to discuss your recommendation and the steps to implementing your policy recommendation.

Ensure your solution includes two or three (2-3) government or public health agencies and at least one (1) private, non-government organization (NGO) that will work together as a system to carry out your policy recommendations. Address social and cultural issues of the priority population in the administration of the policy, ensuring adherence to recognized guides to cultural competence, like the CLAS guidelines. Cite appropriate evidence for your recommendations.

Expectation: You will anticipate implementation effects and side effects. 1) First, describe the anticipated consequences that you expect as a result of implementing the proposed recommendations. State as goals and expected outcomes. This part of the assignment demonstrates your skill in anticipating all the effects of your recommended intervention and lays the foundation for later evaluations of the policy. 2) Then state any likely unanticipated consequences that may result from policy implementation—typically these are negative outcomes, though some may be positive. Think deeply about this. Finally, describe how these unanticipated consequences can be mitigated or reduced in impact.

Expectation: You will describe the feasibility of implementation. Use the CDC’s Policy Process resources to assist you with this description. First, describe the likely ease or difficulty of implementing your recommendations, including challenges that may be faced. Second, describe ways in which implementation may be improved and sustainability increased.

Expectation: You will describe probable effects of appropriate application of Biblical principles. First, remove the Biblical references from the end of your Issues outline. Restate one or more of these same verses at the end of the Recommendations section but emphasize how appropriate application of this/these principles will likely result in a positive and beneficial outcome.

Expectation: You will use full sentences in active voice to introduce your points, followed by appropriate bullets. Allow no orphaned words.

• The layout should be limited to 2 full pages, divided into 2 columns. Highlight selected content in color shaded text boxes for emphasis. You can find an example of proper layout on the Policy Brief Assignment page under Policy Brief Resources.
  • Condense outline and comments to fit critical points on the pages. Reduce font size to 10 point Times New Roman in the body; bold or enlarge to 12 in places where emphasis is needed. Single space. Do not use footnotes; limit endnotes to essentials. List these and cited references on the last page in 8 or 9 point font. List only what you cite in the text.
  • Arrange your Brief according to best practices of page layout (see Interior Design, Design Practices and Microsoft Publisher Help in Policy Brief Assignment page under Policy Brief Resources). You may also wish to use MS Word newsletter for columns or a template as a guide.

Expectation: You will add illustrations. Include at least two appropriate images (photo or line drawing) that support your SOCO—either the issue or the policy recommendation. At least one must show members of your priority population. Don’t overdo the graphics in size or number: this is not a magazine. And don’t distort the images! Use only public domain or copyright-free images, placed according to layout best practices, citing each source in the references. Choose images to inspire support for your policy. Sources for proper graphic images include: Pixabay, PhotoShare, NIH Image Library, EveryStockPhoto, Wikimedia Commons, NLM Open Access Images and Public Health Image Library (PHIL). You may also find Creative Commons Directory of sites useful; you can also, see About.com for searching Google Images.

Expectation: You will include a summary. Add an abstract (100–150 words) in a text box, summarizing your entire brief in quick overview. Don’t present anything here not covered elsewhere in the brief. Label it conspicuously as “Summary” or “Overview” and place it somewhere on the first page.

Expectation: You will keep your reader in mind as you write the content and design the space. Use concise, direct language, avoiding scientific jargon. Keep sentences simple and paragraphs short.

Expectation: You will emphasize the positive results from appropriate application of one biblical principle in a shaded text box labeled “What the Bible Has to Say.”

Expectation: You will focus the entire brief on motivating action to adopt your policy recommendation. Use the CDC Policy Process resources to assist you in strategizing and using motivating language within your policy brief.

Expectation: Format of Policy Brief

Title

Required Headings and Content Prompts:

Problem Identification

Describe the problem/public health issue that triggered the policy recommendation (write an evidence-based problem statement). Context and importance of the problem. (what is the problem? Provide information related to the current debate surrounding the issue. Why is the issue significant? Should include multiple areas of evidence-based references and resources.

Policy Analysis

Analyze at least three policy options based on the evidence surrounding their potential impacts (intended and unintended), ethics (including equity), costs, administrative feasibility, and potential constituency support. Think in terms of what has been done – or proposed – about the issue so far? Have other organizations addressed it? Are there pending legislative or regulatory proposals?

Strategy and Policy Development:

Discuss your strategy for drafting a bill around your policy recommendation (e.g. Which stakeholders or policy actors will you engage? What information will you need?)

Identify at least 2 potential enablers and 2 potential barriers to policy enactment, including the mitigation strategies for the barriers.

Provide a culturally and ethically appropriate, evidence-based argument for your policy recommendation. Describe its feasibility. Please provide biblical support for your recommendation as well. Describe how specific Scripture applies.

Policy Enactment

Describe the official procedures for enacting/passing your policy at the state or federal level (i.e. the legislative process)

Policy implementation

Identify the stakeholders/agencies involved in implementing your policy

Identify the resources (e.g. human, financial, material) needed to implement your policy

Anticipate and describe at least two rules or administrative decisions that may be developed by implementing agencies in the implementation phase

Describe at least two indicators/measures for evaluating the impact of your policy

References

At least 5 diverse sources (Use AMA format- see example briefs for guidance.)

“What the Bible Has to Say” and Other Illustrations

Additional Resources:

https://www.cdc.gov/policy/polaris/policyprocess/index.html

https://www.cdc.gov/policy/analysis/process/index.html

https://www.cdc.gov/policy/analysis/process/docs/CDCPolicyProcess.pdf

Note: Your assignment will be checked for originality via the Turnitin plagiarism tool.