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The "WHY" in Health Policy
By: Tiffany J. Netters, Director of Health Policy & Governmental Affairs, LPCA
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Why do you do what you do? Why do we commit to the mission of Community Health Centers?
I believe that if someone’s life purpose is aligned with their career, they will be more successful and happy. Many of us have found our purpose in health care. There is deep meaning in our work because we believe we are making a difference in people’s lives and in the world. This is our WHY.
There are many training opportunities on the HOW to do Health Policy (like those at NACHC’s Policy and Issues Forum).
I, however, would like to take this opportunity to dive deeper into the WHY for doing it with the intention of inspiring you.
Our WHY is a way of thinking, acting and leading. Acknowledging our WHY can inspire us as we persevere in the current political environment.
The LPCA is committed to supporting health center staff and their WHYs through various activities like continuous education and technical assistance. Our mission includes the uniting of our health centers to have strong representation in the health policy arena.
As an LPCA staff member and health center advocate, here are some of my WHYs for doing healthy policy:
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It's Strategic and Evidence-Based.
Policies play important roles in our society with evidence showing population-wide impacts that can be continuously replicated. Being aware of unintended consequences that can create some inequities, we believe that being engaged in health policy efforts can provide opportunities for protection and enhancements of health care services for all, but especially for those who need it most.
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It’s Rooted in Social Justice.
During the 1960’s Civil Rights Movement and War on Poverty, the Community Health Center Program was created from federal policy. The original WHY was to develop “neighborhood health centers” to provide access points to health and social services to medically underserved and disenfranchised populations. Community empowerment and social justice were at the core of the Movement.
I believe, that after 50 years as a federal program, our neighborhood-community health centers are still thriving in the Movement and living in the WHY today. That WHY keeps us focused on the mission to have healthy and happy patients, regardless of socioeconomic status.
Here at LPCA, we just celebrated 35 years of serving Louisiana's Community Health Centers.
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It Produces Transformational Leaders.
It is a beautiful thing to witness people, regardless of title, stepping up or speaking out to make tough decisions or to take a certain stand that may be uncomfortable - because they believe in the cause.
Transformational leaders exhibit their truth by being vulnerable and authentic in doing what is right and speaking up. By taking action, they inspire others. They learn what is needed to lead, and they think about the bigger picture beyond transactional activities in a work plan. These leaders are needed to move people in fulfilling the mission.
Our health center leaders remain engaged in the health policy arena because they understand the importance of their role as a voice for those without one - throughout the entire legislative process.
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It Expresses Loyalty to the Mission.
The health policy arena provides a space for health centers to be engaged in calls for action for the GOOD OF THE WHOLE (whole people, whole communities). These calls for action include the development of legislation that creates policies to serve our mission in reaching the medically underserved and disenfranchised populations.
When working in health policy, we understand the importance of evaluating short term gains versus long term outcomes. We know that we cannot get distracted with opportunities providing “instant gratification.” We must remain mission-driven and loyal to the long term goal in our partnership development and legislative engagements.
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It Expands Relationships.
We believe in the PEOPLE and the POWER we have in numbers. What if we boost our efforts on increasing our patient engagement and community support? We could then harness our collective power to build even stronger relationships across all community levels and sectors.
More relationships can give us more opportunities for success that can then be used to educate policy-makers on our communities’ health policy needs.
Let’s expand our relationships. Let’s remember our history and maintain a connection to the advocates who came before us. Together, we can build upon a legacy that heals our communities and leave lasting impacts for those who come after us.
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I hope that you do the things that inspire you everyday.
As we move into our state’s Legislative Session, let’s continue to inspire each other. We can collectively ensure that our WHYs are on display at the Capitol. Let’s work together to ensure that our state’s health policies:
- Increase access to high quality primary care, without barriers on our patients like work requirements;
- Stabilize funding for health care and education so our state resources are protected to foster a healthy population; and
- Increase access to oral health services, behavioral health services and chronic disease prevention.
Remember: Your WHY is now - and the source of your power.
For more reading on finding your WHY, I encourage you to check out the book: Start with Why by Simon Sinek.
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About the Author
Tiffany J. Netters serves as LPCA's Director of Health Policy and Governmental Affairs. In this position, she directs the Association's public advocacy and policy initiatives, guides the implementation of organizational and programmatic strategies, and works with LPCA's FQHC membership to provide structure and support for project management.
Mrs. Netters is a seasoned public administration professional, certified in Project Management, with over ten years of experience in public health programming, strategic partnership management, and healthcare system development. She most recently served as the Gulf Region Health Outreach Program - Primary Care Capacity Project Manager with the Louisiana Public Health Institute. She also has over five years of experience working at the Louisiana Department of Health's Bureau of Primary Care and Rural Health as Chronic Disease Director and manager of the Tobacco Control Program.
She earned a Bachelor's of Science degree in Microbiology and a Master's of Public Administration from Louisiana State University.
Do you have any thoughts or topics that you would like to see featured in our blog? Would you like to submit a blog post? We would love to hear from you! Please contact Ryan Sinitiere at rsinitiere@lpca.net.
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