The Policy & Advocacy (P&A) Committee is open to all MPHA members interested in becoming more informed and involved in public health policy issues. Each year, the committee coordinates a number of activities, including:

• Gathering input from MPHA members on key public health policy issues
• Developing an annual policy agenda
• Preparing materials to inform MPHA members about key public health policy issues
• Coordinating with other organizations to promote policy
• Reviewing MPHA and APHA policy resolutions

MPHA believes public health professionals deserve a stronger voice in public health advocacy. An important aim of the committee is to strengthen MPHA members' capacity to become advocates for causes important to them, in their communities, as well as support organizational priorities at local, state, or federal levels.

The committee is not an independent decision-making body. Instead, the group is responsible for gathering information about key policy issues and providing recommendations to the Governing Council on these issues on a monthly basis. The work of the committee is guided by the interests and priorities of the full membership, and aligns with the policy resolutions voted on by the full membership in the biennial legislative priorities survey.

MPHA members and external organizations can request time on the meeting agenda from a committee chair to share information on a specific policy issue. Highest priority is given to issues that align with the current MPHA policy agenda.