Policy Statements

In addition to APHA’s 25,000 members, the organization represents another 25,000 individuals who are members of our affiliated state and regional public health associations and others who are committed to creating a health global society. APHA members and staff work closely with Members of Congress, regulatory agencies and other public health organizations to ensure that public health is priority in the legislative and policy-making process.

The policy statement development process for the Association is designed to be open to full participation of the membership and to ensure careful review by appropriate APHA boards, committees and other membership entities. Policy statements adopted through this process provide a record of the Association's stance on a variety of public health issues and reflect the diverse interests of the APHA membership. For more information, email policy@apha.org.

WHAT'S NEW?:

• 2013 policy statement proposals A total of 26 proposals are currently under review. The member comment period is now closed. To learn more about the 2013 policy statement proposal review, stay tuned for minutes from the spring meetings of the JPC and Science Board, which will be posted mid-May.
• 2013 Policy Development Process: During the 2012 Governing Council meetings there was considerable discussion and debate about APHA's Policy Development Process. Based on the final votes at the Annual Meeting, the process will essentially stay the same for 2013 aside from the already accepted improvements in the process. The JPC may decide not to accept a proposed policy statement based on draft criteria that it has already shared with the Governing Council, and an author may appeal to the Executive Board if he or she believes that due process was not followed. 

However, the GC should expect recommendations, following the JPC May Business Meeting, to improve the policy development process and address any inconsistencies between the process and the bylaws. Governing Councilors will get updates and will have the opportunity to provide feedback during the coming year.

Read the JPC 2012 Process Improvements memo that summarizes improvements in the policy development process that have been made during the past year.

• APHA 2012 policy statements now available online - The Governing Council approved ten policy statements and two late-breaker policy statements at this year's 140th Annual Meeting. The final policy statements are now available in APHA's policy statement database under the year "2012."

2013 Policy Statement Cycle:

• Instructions to Authors  
• Policy Gaps
• Policy Process Calendar 
• 2013 Joint Policy Committee Roster
• Governing Council Update to Policy Statement Development Process Policies and Procedures

Past JPC Minutes  

• Joint Policy Committee 2012 Spring Meeting Minutes 
• Findings on the 2011 Proposed Policy Statements  - from Joint Policy Committee & Science Board Spring April 2011 Policy Review Meeting

Additional Resources:

• Model Policy Statements
• Policy Statement Roadmap
• Policy Development Presentations  
• Webinar: "How to Write a Good Policy"  (from 2010) 

Policy Review and Archiving Process