Minnesota Public Health Association
Since 1907, MPHA has been dedicated to creating a healthier Minnesota through effective public health practice and engaged citizens.
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Policy and Advocacy Committee
Overview
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
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 each year.
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.
MPHA 2023 -2024 Legislative Priorities
- Support efforts that protect public health authority, workforce development, and infrastructure;
- Support policies, programs, and funding that reduce the impacts of structural racism and related health inequities, including housing disparities;
- Support efforts to increase public health funding – including, but not limited to, Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP); local public health grant; homelessness prevention, emergency shelter and housing services; and commercial tobacco prevention/treatment funding;
- Support policies and programs that ensure access to affordable health care rent support, and affordable housing;
- Support policies that promote optimal mental health, including interconnected issues such as substance use, homelessness, and suicide;
- Support gun violence prevention efforts;
- Support environmental health and climate justice efforts to ensure healthy families, healthy homes, clean water, clean air, and a healthy climate.
How to get involved
The P&A Committee currently meets the first Wednesday of each month at 11:30 am - 1:00 pm. The committee meetings are open to all MPHA members. Click here to register for the next meeting.
Please contact the committee co-chairs at policy@mpha.net to learn more about the committee and ways to become involved.
We look forward to your involvement with the committee!
Committee Co-Chairs |
| Co-Chair, Natalie SchmidtWhy did you join MPHA? I work in federal health policy, so I started to feel very distant from my community and all that is happening at the state level in Minnesota. I wanted to get to know my community members that share passions and interests, and know that the work I am doing is making some small impact to help improve the current and future health of my neighbors. What are you most looking forward to in the next year for MPHA? We have a lot of great and meaningful work happening in the racial health equity space, with workshops and trainings, which happens to be a deep passion of mine. I look forward to continuing to learn more and how I can be a better advocate, but also making sure this work is supported by policy to help create lasting change. |
 | Co-Chair, Matt FloryWhy did you join MPHA? I joined MPHA because I was invited by a colleague. If you know someone who could benefit from membership or make a contribution, its always good to ask people. I renew my membership because I enjoy the chance to work with a broad cross section of the profession, everyone from county public health to university professors to community health workers. THIS is good company to keep. What is your favorite thing about Minnesota? State Parks. SO many State Parks. |