HLTH 507 POLICY BRIEF INSTRUCTIONS
Policy Brief Instructions
In general, a policy brief outlines the rationale for choosing a particular policy recommendation or course of action in a current policy debate. The purpose of the brief is to convince your target audience of the urgency of the current problem and the need to adopt a particular policy or course of action. You must choose a designated racial or social health disparity. You must analyze the problem, examine several potential policies that may solve this problem, and provide your own recommended policy solution. Please provide biblical support for your recommendation as well. Describe how specific Scripture applies.
Use any of the following official publications to assist you in finding an appropriate health disparity on which to base your policy: CDC, AHRQ, HHS, HRSA, WHO , OMH, 2020.
Good policy briefs are 2-4 pages long, are focused on a single issue, are evidence-based, and are persuasive in nature. A policy brief is different from a traditional academic research paper in that it is written to a specific audience (either the general public and/or decision makers). Policy briefs also typically include visuals. Therefore, your brief should include at least one visual that adheres to principles of good visual communication (is labeled well, explained in the brief, is referred to, appears on the page in a way that is spatially appropriate, etc.).
Please use the course document “Guide to Preparing Policy Brief” to assist you.
The Policy Brief should follow the CDC’s Policy Making Process and include these elements:
Title Page/ Title of the paper
Required Content:
Step 1: Problem Identification
- Describe the problem/public health issue that triggered the policy recommendation (write an evidence-based problem statement). Context and importance of the problem. (what is the problem? Provide information related to the current debate surrounding the issue. Why is the issue significant? Should include multiple areas of evidence-based references and resources.
Step 2: Policy Analysis
- Analyze at least three policy options based on the evidence surrounding their potential impacts (intended and unintended), ethics (including equity), costs, administrative feasibility, and potential constituency support. Think in terms of what has been done – or proposed – about the issue so far? Have other organizations addressed it? Are there pending legislative or regulatory proposals?
Step 3: Strategy and Policy Development:
- Discuss your strategy for drafting a bill around your policy recommendation (e.g. Which stakeholders or policy actors will you engage? What information will you need?)
- Identify at least 2 potential enablers and 2 potential barriers to policy enactment, including the mitigation strategies for the barriers.
Provide a culturally and ethically appropriate, evidence-based argument for your policy recommendation. Describe its feasibility. Please provide biblical support for your recommendation as well. Describe how specific Scripture applies.
Step 4: Policy Enactment
- Describe the official procedures for enacting/passing your policy at the state or federal level (i.e. the legislative process)
Step 5: Policy implementation
- Identify the stakeholders/agencies involved in implementing your policy
- Identify the resources (e.g. human, financial, material) needed to implement your policy
- Anticipate and describe at least two rules or administrative decisions that may be developed by implementing agencies in the implementation phase
- Describe at least two indicators/measures for evaluating the impact of your policy
References. At least 5 diverse sources (Use AMA format- see example briefs for guidance.)
Additional Resources:
https://www.cdc.gov/policy/polaris/policyprocess/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/policy/analysis/process/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/policy/analysis/process/docs/CDCPolicyProcess.pdf