From Collaborative From Collaborative Data Analysis to Data Analysis to

Impacting on Impacting on PolicyPolicy

Meredith Minkler, Dr.P.H.Meredith Minkler, Dr.P.H.Presentation at APHA/CEIPresentation at APHA/CEI

November 5, 2006November 5, 2006

Stages in Policy ProcessStages in Policy Process

Problem definition / identificationProblem definition / identification Setting the agendaSetting the agenda Constructing policy alternativesConstructing policy alternatives Deciding on the policy to pursueDeciding on the policy to pursue Implementing the policyImplementing the policy EvaluationEvaluation

-Kingdon -Kingdon 19951995

Policy work consistent with Policy work consistent with CBPR principlesCBPR principles

Is participatory and cooperativeIs participatory and cooperative Involves co-learning, systems development & Involves co-learning, systems development &

local capacity buildinglocal capacity building Is empoweringIs empowering Balances research and actionBalances research and action Addresses a community-identified needAddresses a community-identified need Contributes to a larger sense of communityContributes to a larger sense of community

Israel et al, 1998; Themba and Minkler, 2003 Israel et al, 1998; Themba and Minkler, 2003

Create opportunities for individuals and larger group to learn sills in leadership,

strategic planning, and negotiation

Peggy ShepardPeggy ShepardExecutive Director, WE ACTExecutive Director, WE ACT

West Harlem Environmental Action (WE ACT)Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health

The Partners:

Problem definition / identification

Goals of the Goals of the CollaborationCollaboration

Study relationship between Study relationship between community level, environmental community level, environmental exposures, and environmental health exposures, and environmental health outcomesoutcomes

Translate findings into policy change Translate findings into policy change to create equity in environmental to create equity in environmental decision making and environmental decision making and environmental protectionprotection

Map Map DotsDots

8-Hour Vehicle Count

45 75.5

529

1,403

13.5 28

403

1,064

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

1,600

Edgecombe Ave. Bus Depot Harlem Hospital Amsterdam Ave.

Trucks

Bus

8-Hour Car and Ped Count

2,302

14,328

18,372

421

16,761

11,246

1,2251,126

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

16,000

18,000

20,000

Edgecombe Ave. Bus Depot Harlem Hospital Amsterdam Ave.

Cars

Pedestrians

Kinney et al, 2000

Range of PM2.5 Range of PM2.5 Concentrations at Harlem Concentrations at Harlem

“Hot Spot” Sites“Hot Spot” Sites

0

20

40

60

80

100

EPAStandard

Lowest Highest

PM2.5concentrations(μg/m^3)

15.1 μg/m322 μg/m3

69 μg/m3

Source: Kinney, et al. 2000

Setting an agenda and Setting an agenda and creating awarenesscreating awareness

Agenda: the list issue areas to which Agenda: the list issue areas to which government officials are paying government officials are paying attentionattention

-Kingdon, 1995 -Kingdon, 1995

WE ACT Postcard __ No TEXTWE ACT Postcard __ No TEXT

Bus shelter adsBus shelter ads

Alternative fuels Alternative fuels summitsummit

Public testimonyPublic testimony

Briefing officialsBriefing officials

Press conferencesPress conferences

Breathe At Your Own Risk

Creating awareness

Constructing policy Constructing policy alternativesalternatives

“…“…who is responsible for decision who is responsible for decision making?...what are the impacts of making?...what are the impacts of these types of policies? How does it these types of policies? How does it play out in terms of impacting our play out in terms of impacting our community, our organization and our community, our organization and our allies?”allies?”

Community partnerCommunity partner

Policy TargetsPolicy Targets

Metropolitan Transit Authority Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA)(MTA)

GovernorGovernor State Legislative Oversight State Legislative Oversight

CommitteeCommittee

WE ACT Policy GoalsWE ACT Policy Goals

Getting government to purchase Getting government to purchase 300 natural gas buses 300 natural gas buses

Getting largest depot converted to Getting largest depot converted to natural gasnatural gas

Having all new MTA depots Having all new MTA depots converted to compressed natural gasconverted to compressed natural gas

Media AdvocacyMedia Advocacy

The strategic use of mass media to The strategic use of mass media to advance a pubic policy agenda, or the advance a pubic policy agenda, or the agenda or concern of a local agenda or concern of a local community or groupcommunity or group

Adapted from USDHHS, 1989 and Wallack Adapted from USDHHS, 1989 and Wallack et al., 1999et al., 1999

Media Advocacy in Media Advocacy in contextcontext

Layers of strategyLayers of strategy

Overall Strategy: What do you want to see Overall Strategy: What do you want to see happen?happen?

Media Strategy: Through what channels?Media Strategy: Through what channels? Message Strategy: What do you want to say?Message Strategy: What do you want to say?

Access Strategy: How will get a journalist’s Access Strategy: How will get a journalist’s attention?attention?

Adapted from USDHHS, 1989 and Wallack et Adapted from USDHHS, 1989 and Wallack et al., 1999al., 1999

““Timing is everything”Timing is everything”

Have organizing effort coincide with Have organizing effort coincide with relevant special anniversaries, relevant special anniversaries, holidays etc.holidays etc.

Take advantage of event that is likely Take advantage of event that is likely to increase awareness or interestto increase awareness or interest

WE ACT Counter-ResponseWE ACT Counter-Response

MTAMTA ““Legitimate Legitimate

business business necessity”necessity”

- re. construction of - re. construction of depots at other depots at other sitessites

WE ACTWE ACT- If it’s unacceptable If it’s unacceptable

uptown, it’s uptown, it’s unacceptable unacceptable downtowndowntown

- Double standard = Double standard = ENVIRONMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL RACISMRACISM

Shepard, 2003

Academic partners’ role in Academic partners’ role in policy and advocacypolicy and advocacy

Participation in hearings, meetings with Participation in hearings, meetings with policy makers and community groups policy makers and community groups

Presenting findings at scientific meetingsPresenting findings at scientific meetings

““the goal of such activity was to spread the goal of such activity was to spread the word around in different settings the word around in different settings about the partnerships, the products, about the partnerships, the products, and the policies…” and the policies…”

-Academic partner

WE ACT post card campaignWE ACT post card campaign

Plan B: New Target, New Plan B: New Target, New StrategiesStrategies

Crafting series of recommendations Crafting series of recommendations for for

mayor on strategies for better mayor on strategies for better enforcement of laws against bus enforcement of laws against bus idlingidling

Well framed legal actionsWell framed legal actions

Time consumingTime consuming Risky!Risky! CostlyCostly

But a potent policy strategy when other But a potent policy strategy when other approaches are not achieving successapproaches are not achieving success

Themba and Themba and Minkler, 2003Minkler, 2003

Strategic use of Title IV, Strategic use of Title IV, Civil Rights ActCivil Rights Act

Bars federal funding to any Bars federal funding to any program that discriminates on program that discriminates on the bases of racethe bases of race

Location of 6 of 8 NYC diesel Location of 6 of 8 NYC diesel bus depots in North Manhattan bus depots in North Manhattan = excessive and unfair= excessive and unfair

Some OutcomesSome Outcomes

MTA conversion of entire fleet to MTA conversion of entire fleet to “clean diesel”“clean diesel”

EPA initiation of community based EPA initiation of community based air monitoring in northern air monitoring in northern ManhattanManhattan

Tighter air quality standardsTighter air quality standards Adoption of New York State Adoption of New York State

Environmental Justice PolicyEnvironmental Justice Policy

The Partners: The Partners: Literacy for Environmental Literacy for Environmental

Justice / SF DPHJustice / SF DPH

Problem definition / Problem definition / identificationidentification

Situations become identified as Situations become identified as problems. “when we come to problems. “when we come to believe that we should do something believe that we should do something about them.about them.

Kingdon, 1995Kingdon, 1995

Partnership’s community survey Partnership’s community survey shows widespread concern with lack shows widespread concern with lack of access to healthy foodsof access to healthy foods

LEJ Survey of Products Sold in LEJ Survey of Products Sold in 11 BV/HP 11 BV/HP

Corner StoresCorner Stores

39%

26%

17%

13%

3%2%

Packaged Food

Alcohol & Cigarettes

Other Beverages

Non-Food Products

Meat

Produce

Constructing policy Constructing policy alternativesalternatives

Review model municipal Review model municipal ordinancesordinances

Craft one that reflects local Craft one that reflects local concerns and conditionsconcerns and conditions

Interview …Interview … Interim strategy: the “good Interim strategy: the “good

neighbor” programneighbor” program

Identifying potential Identifying potential partnerspartners

Supervisor MaxwellSupervisor Maxwell SF RedevelopmentSF Redevelopment Mayor’s Office of Mayor’s Office of

Economic Economic DevelopmentDevelopment

DPHDPH SF EnvironmentSF Environment LEJLEJ SF Power Co-opSF Power Co-op

Economic IncentivesEconomic Incentives Store BrandingStore Branding Free MarketingFree Marketing Energy Efficient Energy Efficient

AppliancesAppliances Marketing Marketing

AssistanceAssistance Group BuyingGroup Buying Building Building

ImprovementsImprovements Personnel Personnel

TrainingTraining City RecognitionCity Recognition

% Change in % Change in SalesSales

over 7 Monthsover 7 Months

Produce 5 15%Produce 5 15%

Alcohol 25 Alcohol 25 15%15%By Fall 06

Produce 15%Alcohol 10%Cigarettes 10%Profits 12%

Pilot Store

From Local to State From Local to State PolicyPolicy

AB 2384 Demonstration ProjectAB 2384 Demonstration Project Assistance to “mom and pop” stores Assistance to “mom and pop” stores

improving access to fresh fruits and improving access to fresh fruits and vegetablesvegetables

““Bonus” fruit and vegetable dollars to Bonus” fruit and vegetable dollars to food stamp recipientsfood stamp recipients

Impacting on policy through Impacting on policy through CBPR: Success FactorsCBPR: Success Factors

Presence of strong autonomous Presence of strong autonomous community partner organizations community partner organizations prior to the development of prior to the development of partnership.partnership.

Success Factors Success Factors (continued)(continued)

Appreciation by all partners of need Appreciation by all partners of need for solid scientific data as prerequisite for solid scientific data as prerequisite to making the case for policy actionto making the case for policy action

Commitment to “doing your Commitment to “doing your homework” – finding out what other homework” – finding out what other communities have done, who holds communities have done, who holds decision making authority, key decision making authority, key leverage points etc.leverage points etc.

Success Factors Success Factors (continued)(continued)

Facility for building strong Facility for building strong collaborations and alliances with collaborations and alliances with numerous and diverse numerous and diverse stakeholders stakeholders

Knowledge of and facility for Knowledge of and facility for attending to a variety of “steps” in attending to a variety of “steps” in the policy process, whether or not the policy process, whether or not the language of policy is spokenthe language of policy is spoken

CBPR Balancing ActCBPR Balancing Act

Necessary Skepticism

of Science

Action Imperative

of the Community

- Price and Behrens, 2003

Difficulty talking in terms of Difficulty talking in terms of policy goals and potential policy goals and potential impacts due to funding impacts due to funding constraints.constraints.

““We don’t do We don’t do policy – we just policy – we just educate educate legislators.”legislators.”

Community Community Partner, NCPartner, NC

Difficulties in the Difficulties in the Attribution of ContributionAttribution of Contribution

Reluctance to talk about policy roleReluctance to talk about policy role

Media tendency to single out a Media tendency to single out a contributor – often a politician!contributor – often a politician!

Potential for overstating the Potential for overstating the partnership’s rolepartnership’s role

Difficulty measuring Difficulty measuring longer term impacts of a longer term impacts of a policy change – who policy change – who follows up when the follows up when the money runs out?money runs out?

““Just do it!”Just do it!”

Adidas and community partnerAdidas and community partner