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Advocacy Issues |
OPHA's New Strategic Advocacy Plan
As Connie Uetrecht announced in her Executive Director's Message in the January/February issue of OPHA News, OPHA engaged the services of consultants Margot Letter and Barbara Witkorowicz to help us develop a strategic advocacy strategy that will direct our work over the coming year. Margot and Barbara interviewed internal and external stakeholders and held a number of focus groups to enable us to understand how we can develop a strong message and better deliver it on behalf of our members.
Their final report allowed OPHA to create an Advocacy Strategy for 2007-2009. Three priorities were identified, and internal and external strategies were delineated, each with specific and concrete actions. The summary follows.
Priority 1 – Increase OPHA Capacity to Pursue Public Health System Advocacy
Context
Both internal and external consultations as well as the OPHA Board of Directors identified that OPHA needs to develop stronger knowledge, skills and systems to increase its capacity to effectively undertake broad public health system advocacy.
The following actions are planned for 2007-08: Developing Public Policy Leadership skills; Developing a PH System Issues Identification, Prioritization & Approval Process; Enhancing Board Capacity by seeking members with expertise; Expanding Membership & Representation. Externally, the actions include building relationships with partners, building relationships with decision-makers and developing a network of advocacy support. Priority 2 – Public Health System Design Issue
It was agreed that OPHA should prioritize at least one area that addresses Public Health System Design issues; this priority should connect with the core purposes of OPHA. It was also agreed that the strategies should focus on areas where OPHA can “shine”, that is, where OPHA has unique strengths.
The planned actions are: building profile through action: proactive support for implementation of recommendations re Public Health System Capacity of the Capacity Review Committee (CRC); and building profile through research/policy development: proactive development of Public Health Human Resources Strategy.
OPHA will undertake scenario planning to ensure that we are prepared to respond to any government announcement arising from the Capacity Review Committee, or more broadly, regarding the future of Public Health in this province. Priority 3 – Program or Content Issues
The consultants recommended one program or content priority. Based on this advice, the Executive Committee recommended that we focus our efforts on the Social Determinants of Health as priority program/content area. In addition we will continue to have Chronic Disease Prevention as a priority by virtue of the emphasis given this topic by government and the projects that we manage.
OPHA expresses support for Bill 171, Health Systems Improvement Act 2007
OPHA presented a written submission to the province [PDF] expressing our support for Bill 171, Health Systems Improvement Act 2007 and specifically discussed two sections of this important legislation: the revisions to the Ontario Water Resources Act And Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002 and the creation of the Ontario Agency For Health Protection And Promotion.
In the submission, OPHA confirmed its support for "transferring the oversight of the five categories of small drinking water systems from the Ministry of Environment to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) provided that adequate funding, laboratory and technical support (including IT) and clear regulations and standards related to the construction and operation of small water systems are provided by the MOHLTC."
OPHA expressed overall support of the manner in which the new Ontario Agency For Health Protection And Promotion is set out in the Act, and re-stated its belief that this Agency will provide valuable scientific and technical support to those who work in public health throughout the province.
OPHA also called for the inclusion of specific reference to "the important program areas of family health, reproductive health and child health" in the Act, and asked that social determinants of health be enshrined in the legislation.
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