NCSD Projects
The Policy Academy
Add policy skills to your tool belt! Our team has trained partners from state and local health departments, departments of education, and partner non-profits how to do policy work and stay safe doing it.
The Policy Academy begins in February 2021 and registration is now open! If you are interested in participating, please contact Kassy Keen. Registration will close on February 1, 2021 at 5:00 pm ET. The first Zoom call will be held on February 25, 2021.
Through the Policy Academy, NCSD’s policy team trains individuals from state and local health department STD programs and allies on how to engage in policy and policymaker education safely and effectively. By providing an overview of policy basics and options, and building skills to navigate policy, NCSD strives to demystify policy work, and empower STD program staff to effectively utilize this powerful strategy. Through the five online modules, health department STD programs and allies will:
- Learn policy basics and legislative and non-legislative options for policy work
- Learn how to engage in policy and policymaker education safely
- Gain skills to address public health program challenges through policy
- Develop messaging that resonates with department and government officials
- Understand how to leverage partnerships and coalitions to engage with policymakers
In addition to one-on-one technical assistance throughout the Policy Academy, NCSD will assist participants with activities such as in-state education briefings or meetings, factsheet creation, and messaging development.
To fully take part in the Policy Academy, participants should plan on the following:
- Watch a 20-30 minute pre-recorded module prior to each monthly Zoom meeting.
- Participate in five monthly Zoom calls to recap the module lesson and discuss case studies.
- Join a 1-hour one-on-one meeting with NCSD staff for orientation, personalized assistance on your policy topic, and to discuss options. These will take place January-March 2021 and NCSD staff will schedule your call after you apply.
In the years since the Policy Academy began, more than 100 participants have been trained. Participants come from state and local health departments and other allied partners. These participants have addressed policy topics ranging from expedited partner therapy (EPT) to STD prevention partner-related barriers to third-trimester syphilis testing requirements. In many cases, the time spent tackling these topics in the Policy Academy has ultimately led to policy movement at the state-level!
Apply to Policy Academy
Please follow the directions below to ensure that your application process is not delayed. Applications will be taken on a rolling basis until maximum capacity is reached or until the registration deadline, February 1, 2021. However, if a group/individual would like to be put on the waitlist in the event a spot opens, the group/individual must complete all necessary registration forms prior to being added to the waitlist.
