The Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) is proud to announce its participation in the Public Health Advocacy Consensus Task Force (PH-ACT) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. This collaboration aims to strengthen advocacy education within public health programs and schools.
By combining SOPHE’s deep knowledge of health education and advocacy with the expertise of specialists in advocacy instruction and public health improvement, the task force will be a dynamic team. This group will engage with national leaders to develop a comprehensive advocacy curriculum and refine current advocacy training models.
The diverse task force will also guide schools and public health programs in implementing these models, ensuring success across the board.
“SOPHE is thrilled to join the Public Health Advocacy Consensus Task Force,” SOPHE CEO Dr. William Datema said. “This partnership is a natural fit, and we are honored to collaborate with such distinguished national and state public health organizations.”
This initiative directly addresses the growing need for robust advocacy training in public health programs, highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Public health professionals need the skills to effectively engage with policymakers, communities, and the media to ensure evidence-based policies are implemented. Without this education, the public health workforce lacks the necessary tools for legal implementation and securing policy backing.
Through collaboration with numerous national leaders, this partnership will develop an “Advocacy 2.0” instructional model that builds upon existing work. This model will achieve three key goals:
- Gain consensus on a clear definition of public health advocacy.
- Identify essential advocacy skills needed for successful implementation.
- Draft guidance to support schools and programs in integrating this training.
Working alongside these leaders, SOPHE is dedicated to constructing a robust advocacy competency training model that equips the future public health workforce with the skills needed to effectively advocate for public health initiatives.
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About SOPHE
The Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) is a nonprofit, independent professional association representing a diverse membership of health promotion and health education professionals and students in the United States and several international countries. SOPHE members work in businesses, schools, colleges, universities, nonprofit organizations, hospitals, healthcare settings, worksites, and local, state, and federal government agencies.
About PH-ACT
The Lerner Center for Public Health Advocacy and the de Beaumont Foundation, in partnership with other national and state public health organizations, are launching the Public Health Advocacy Consensus Task Force (PH-ACT), which will: Gain consensus on the definition of public health advocacy; identify the essential advocacy skills needed to operationalize it; and draft guidance that could help schools and programs.
