FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Media Relations
APHA’s third annual Policy Action Institute offers a look at how to truly make a difference at the local, state and federal levels to improve health.
This year’s two-day virtual event, held during National Public Health Week, takes place April 8-9 under the theme of “Building Bridges: Creating Health.”
“What I love about the Policy Action Institute is that it really gives people a chance to talk about the things that will make a difference at every level,” said Susan Polan, PhD, APHA’s associate executive director for public affairs and advocacy. “It allows us to bring people to speak who are taking the evidence and putting it into action.”
Among the event’s scheduled speakers: political pollster Frank Luntz, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., and Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Ill. Keynote speeches, “fireside chats” and panel discussions will focus on such topics as the 2021 health agendas of Congress and the Biden administration, a public health approach to climate change and an update on the COVID-19 pandemic.
Polan said the event is particularly important at a time when the pandemic has underscored the ways bad policy can worsen health disparities and good policy can curb infections and speed vaccine development.
“It’s really about the lessons learned in different communities and elevating them so we understand better what works and what doesn’t,” Polan said.
Presenters will also talk about ways to reach across the political aisle to advance strong public health policy, the types of policy priorities that are important to ensure a robust public health system that can adequately respond to all types of threats, advancing health equity, and more.
Registration for the Policy Action Institute is now open, with discounts for students and members of APHA.
Members of the media interested in registering should contact mediarelations@apha.org.
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The American Public Health Association champions the health of all people and all communities. We are the only organization that combines a nearly 150-year perspective, a broad-based member community and the ability to influence federal policy to improve the public’s health. Learn more at www.apha.org.