The Center for Health Policy Leadership (CHPL) at Bastyr University strives to inspire community engagement and solution focused leadership in the quest to expand access to integrative health care in all communities. Open to anyone interested in fostering health policy change, the CHPL operates under three pillars of leadership: Discourse, Engagement, and Research.
Discourse
The first step in creating health policy change is cultivating informed individuals. We invite dedicated leaders and members of the community together to create opportunities for discussion on current issues. Members participate in discussions that address questions such as:
- How can we create communities that support overall health and well-being?
- How can we address equity issues and ensure access to improved health?
Developing a Common Language
A coordinated effort is necessary to address the social determinants of health and the resulting health inequities. With a common language, a shared vision can be created to facilitate further dialogue. With a common language, we will be able to:
- Speak in terms of impact on health in all policy;
- Broaden view of health indicators to encompass individual, population, and environmental characteristics;
- Begin to think of health at both the micro and macro levels; and
- Emphasize language that encompasses the intersection of health services and health policy.
Engagement
CHPL members support ongoing community involvement in health policy issues through active participation in public affairs. A unified and informed voice advocates more effectively for a health in all policy approach to create health equities.
Examples of past CPHL events and opportunities include:
- Relevant documentary screenings such as Escape Fire: The Fight to Rescue American Healthcare;
- Presentations regarding Integrative Health’s place in modern medicine;
- Congressional meetings, such as the Federal Legislative Initiative, through which Congressional members learn about the benefits of naturopathic medicine for communities as well as individuals and the need for legislation to support its growth and accessibility;
- Sponsoring and coordinating naturopathic medicine events that foster curiosity in the community; and
- State legislative advocacy events, such as the California Naturopathic Doctors Lobby Day, the Annual Midwifery Day, and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Legislative Day.
The CHPL supports the Health Policy Leadership student club at Bastyr, which serves to:
- Collaborate with state and national associations to create a unified voice for advancing the integrative health and medicine professions;
- Foster inter-professional collaboration; and
- Provides students with achievable leadership opportunities and recognizable accomplishments for professional development and career enhancement.
Research
The CPHL at Bastyr University establishes a forum for critical analysis to address topics in health equity, global public health and health workforce issues. Here are some of the current research project currently underway.
- Naturopathic Medicine as an Effective Resource for the Global Action Plan Targeting Non-Communicable Diseases
- 21st Century Health Centers-The Role of Naturopathic Physicians in an Integrative and Collaborative Workforce
- Effective Communication Strategies for Building an Integrative Health and Medicine Practitioner and Health in All Policies
- Integrating Traditional Indigenous Medicine and Western Biomedicine into Health Systems: A Review of Nicaraguan Health Policies and Miskitu Health Services
- Integrative Medicine Professionals Partnering with Health Leads as an Effective Practice Model to Address the Social Determinants of Health
- The Re-Emergence of Constitutional Medicine in Epigenetics
