Policy changes are a key part of community-based participatory research (CBPR), where health researchers and others focus on the social determinants of health and work to change them. A number of important tactics are involved in successful policy change campaigns. These include: taking the pulse of the community, finding ways to start small and make progress, being aware of a range of political options, being flexible and working toward intermediate goals, using positive framing, and encouraging participation.
CBPR approaches can be used to change policies in a wide variety of settings. These may involve government, private companies, universities, or nonprofit organizations. The types of policies that need to be changed can vary, as well, from the overall structure of an organization to specific procedures or regulations. For example, an organization that provides medical services might need to change its policies on how patients are treated by doctors.
It’s often best to push for policy change when it’s clear that the current policies don’t work. For example, if a drug problem has become worse despite aggressive law enforcement, people may be more open to new strategies. Likewise, if a business or institution finds that it’s not able to compete on price, it might be willing to try something different.
It’s also easier to get politicians and others to listen when they’re being forced by events or circumstances to consider alternatives. For example, if a government is facing budget cuts and has to choose between a disastrous new course of action and its existing policies, it may be more willing to listen than if it isn’t.
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