In 1997 the California state Department of Health Services and The Health Officers Association of California (HOAC) issued a joint statement that an effective system for the control and prevention of emerging communicable diseases does not exist in California. A joint survey by these two organizations identified $22 million of needs for scientific personnel to make this statewide system of disease prevention work effectively. After several months of discussion, HOAC determined that if it developed a proposal that was narrow in scope, related to their expertise as Health Officers, science and population based, as well as universal and bipartisan in it’s appeal, it would be more likely to succeed. HOAC also learned that increased visibility in the media would be necessary to obtain significant levels of funding from the state government. In 1997 HOAC introduced AB 663, by then Assembly Member Deborah Ortiz. This bill increased the state's allocation to counties by $22 million, specifying that this money could only be used for disease prevention activities. In 1998 Omnibus Budget Trailer Bill, AB 2680 was enacted. This bill contained the provisions of AB 663, but funds required for implementation AB 663 were vetoed. In 1999 the governor vetoed all but $292,000 in requested funds. In 2000 the Governor signed SB 269 by Senator Deborah Ortiz which provided an additional one million dollars. In the submission of his 2001- 2002 budget the Governor added another one million dollars for county disease prevention services.
Learning Objectives: 1. Participants will be given a guide of how to properly frame and define a policy issue. 2. Paricipants will learn how to develop information that will support the policy objective being proposed. 3. Paricipants will learn the essential elements of an advocacy strategy designed to meet a particular policy objective.
Keywords: Infrastructure, Core Functions
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.