Public Policy

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Public Policy

• M. Burns, PhD, RD
• FCS 3151

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Food for Thought

• Should penalties be imposed via public policy on
  makers of both exercise equipment and supplements
  that claim their products melt away pounds
  effortlessly?

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Characteristics

• Develop strategies for solving public problems
• It is a complex and dynamic process
• Nutrition policies include

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National Nutrition Policy

• A set of nationwide guidelines that specify how
  the nutritional needs of the population will be
  met.
• Food assistance program, Healthy People 2010,
  legislation, and monitoring and surveillance
  programs

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Process of Policy Making

• Are you a political animal?
• Policy vs. problem
• Policy making
• Process by which authorities decide which actions
  to
• take to address a problem

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Policy-making Cycle

1. Problem definition/agenda setting
2. Formulation of alternatives
3. Policy adoption
4. Policy implementation
5. Policy evaluation
6. Policy termination

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Problem definition/agenda setting

• Convince others of the problem
• Public issue?
• Agenda setting
• Institutional agenda
• Agenda of Congress, State legislators, city
  councils

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Formulation of alternatives

• Creative part
• How? Should?
• Grassroots level

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Grassroots Pyramid
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2005 ADA Agenda Items

• Medical nutrition therapy
• Reauthorization of the Ryan White CARE Act
• Healthy aging
• Wellness policies for schools
• Disease prevention and management

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Policy Adoption

• DHHS
• NIH
• FDA
• CDC
• Health Care Financing
• Admin Families Children
• AOA
• Medicare/medicaid

• USDA
• FSIS
• Food, Nutr Cons Services
• FNS, Food Stamp, NSLP
• CNPP

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Final Three

• Policy implementation
• Putting a policy into action
• Policy evaluation
• Achieving desired goals?
• Policy termination
• Re-think the agenda

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Policy to Legislation

• Who writes policy?
• Federal Register

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How a bill becomes a law?
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(No Transcript)
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Community Nutritionist in Action

• Influence the political process
• Participate in political action committees
• Lobby
• Build coalitions

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Community Nutritionist in Action

• Take political action
• Write effective letters
• Make effective telephone calls
• Use email effectively
• Work with the media

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Public policy letter assignment

• Topic of letter current bills
• http//thomas.loc.gov/
• ADA Advocacy and the Profession
• Locating your elected officials
• http//www.elections.state.il.us/DistrictLocator/S
  electSearchType.aspx