336465
Assessment as social driver: Lessons learned from the shifting grounds of pubic health nursing, academic-community partnerships, and the formation of social-health policy in the "post-ACA" age
Social drivers are core social processes that influence health in all policies. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) mandate for health-system-driven community assessments has created new social drivers for public health actions characterized by novel roles, partnerships, and opportunities. Roles in these processes are changing with the inclusion of healthcare systems and primary care and population health innovation is being driven by new partnerships and resource opportunities.
Description
The Community Health Implementation Planning process for Pierce County, Washington that expanded academic nursing-community partnerships to include major healthcare systems, primary care, mental health, and otherwise non-traditional partners to advance an assessment driven strategy to improve the public health in three priority areas. We report on the prevention and health promotion initiatives that have led to new policy considerations for mental health, access to care, and chronic disease.
Lessons Learned
When concerns for the viability of both clinical and community public health systems are addressed, role shift occurs. New partnerships advanced an integrated pedagogy of a "health in all policy" environment. Such policy environments are real-life learning laboratories for both undergraduate and graduate nursing students. Adapting to shifting partnerships requires creativity in privileging community voice amidst an environment categorized by change.
Implications/recommendations
Opportunities exist within the ACA for advancing policies through the partnerships just described as social drivers for long-term change. Academic institutions should make it a priority to involve students in such processes and partnerships to extend the weight of such drivers to achieve health in all policies.
Learning Areas:
Administration, management, leadershipAssessment of individual and community needs for health education
Chronic disease management and prevention
Other professions or practice related to public health
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related public policy
Learning Objectives:
Describe the mandate for health-system-driven community assessments as a social driver to achieve health in all policies.
Discuss opportunities to engage students in local policy change
Keyword(s): Community Health Assessment, Community Health Planning
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been a lead partner in this work with the local health department. My area of specialty is primary care and public health.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.