About The Guide

About CHI

CHI Board of Directors

CHI Staff

Health Policy Guide Collaborators & Funders

Welcome to the Center for Health Improvement's redesigned website, Health Policy Guide. This second renovation of the website was conducted in early 2004 and is intended to provide users with an immediate understanding of the site's content and improve navigation. At the heart of Health Policy Guide is a database of policy-based strategies to improve health and well being -- consequently, we have brought a topic index of those profiles to the forefront of the home page. We have changed the name to Health Policy Guide to reflect the natural complement between CHI's Health Policy Guide to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Guide to Community Preventive Services. Both sites aim to improve the public's health by providing effective strategies and interventions designed to reduce the incidence of preventable illnesses, injuries and deaths.
 
Each of the prevention-focused policies within the index of topics is presented in the form of a "profile" --complete with background information, policy ideas, examples of effectiveness and references, and contact information for additional resources.  Many of these policies were initially developed and implemented by concerned citizens seeking to improve and protect the health of their communities.  As a measure of quality, all the profiles presented by Health Policy Guide have been reviewed by a panel of recognized health experts with local, state and national knowledge and experience.
 
Implementing a policy is all about joining forces in support of positive change.  It entails tailoring a solution to address the unique health problems and resources in your community.  Once you have identified preliminary steps or ideas to address a problem, Health Policy Guide's "Advocacy Coach" provides essential information about how to turn your ideas into action -- from increasing public awareness and developing community partnerships to understanding the legislative process and evaluating existing policies that impact your purpose.
 

A History of the Website

The site was originally developed in 1997 as an online database of policies entitled PolicyMATTERS, which was also available in a printed notebook format (hey, it was still the 1990s). In 2000 the site underwent a major revision and was renamed Health Policy Coach to highlight new advocacy training content. This information was tailored to meet the needs of community-based organizations and individuals that have little to no experience in policy but want to create lasting change to improve the health of their communities. That section, "Bringing Policy Change to Your Community", was developed in collaboration with The Access Project and is frequently used by CHI staff and others as a learning tool for use in policy trainings. This section of the site is now accessible via the "Advocacy Coach" menu item.
 
For more information on how your organization can receive training in policy advocacy or collaborate in the development of a new section of Health Policy Guide, contact the Center for Health Improvement by e-mail at info@chipolicy.org.