Innovating Health: Community-Driven Policy Solutions for Alberta

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A Call for Social Innovation in Public Health Policy Briefs

Welcome to the Innovating Health: Community-Driven Policy Solutions for Alberta policy brief series, an opportunity for O’Brien Institute members to lead change in Alberta's public health landscape. This initiative invites researchers and community partners to submit ideas for policy briefings that showcase ground-breaking, community-driven social innovations and research in public health. Our goal is to elevate ideas that address Relevant Social Challenges (RSCh) in ways that are more effective, efficient, sustainable, or impactful than past approaches—and to support you in making a tangible difference in the health of Albertans.

What is Social Innovation?

Social innovations are new or novel solutions that address key social challenges in a way that strengthens communities and leads to more sustainable and connected solutions. In the context of public health, this means developing creative and community-based approaches to health challenges that improve the well-being of Albertans.

The topics of consideration within the realm of social innovations in public health could include: 

  • Food as medicine
  • Mobile health solutions
  • Urban planning for healthier environments 
  • Reorganizing care pathways

By contributing to this series, you’ll be helping to shape health policy that promotes meaningful, long-term change.

Why Participate?

Here’s why contributing to this series could be a powerful next step in your work:

  • Showcase Your Community Partnership: If you’re a researcher working with a community partner to address a pressing health issue with an innovative approach, this is your chance to bring your work to a wider audience.
  • Amplify Your Impact: Have your policy ideas and solutions presented to Alberta’s key decision-makers, including provincial and federal civil service leaders, political parties, and influential figures in health-related organizations.
  • Receive Expert Support: Each accepted team will be partnered with a policy mentor and receive professional graphic design and communications support to help create a visually engaging and impactful policy brief.
  • Strengthen Your Policy Skills: Participate in a policy brief writing workshop and gain valuable feedback from an editorial board to enhance your policy writing.

Testimonial from the 2023 Policy Brief Series

"I was impressed with the support offered by the CHP. Their expert team helped us to write a very effective brief about the rural healthcare crisis..."

I was [also] impressed by how willing the community and government was to have a complex conversation about rural healthcare. The scope of impact of the paper was broad, from impact at the local level in Pincher Creek to helping to inform decision makers in government. Overall, writing this paper has been a great experience, with substantial impact!

Dr. Aaron Johnston, MD

Associate Dean, Distributed Learning and Rural Initiatives, Cumming School of Medicine

To check out the 2023 Policy Brief Series, click HERE

How It Works

1. Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI): Interested members should submit, via the link below, with an outline of their project idea including:

  • Approach to the selected topic
  • Key resources you’ll use for evidence
  • Initial policy options or recommendations
  • Relevance and importance of the policy problem to Alberta

Deadline: Expressions of Interest are due Wednesday, November 13, 2024

2. Review and Selection: A specialized editorial board from the O’Brien Institute’s Centre for Health Policy (CHP) and Health Equity Hub will review EOIs and contact selected applicants to develop their briefing.

3. Develop Your Briefing: Selected participants will be matched with a policy mentor and attend a policy brief writing workshop where they will prepare a:

  • 2,500-word Policy Briefing for policy leaders
  • 500-word Lay Summary for a general audience, supported by visuals and info-graphics where possible

4. Direct Support: The CHP and the Health Equity Hub will provide step-by-step support on writing, graphic design, and communications from a policy mentor as well as the CHP staff.

5. Public Release and Promotion: Final briefings will be published on the website of the O’Brien Institute’s Centre for Health Policy, shared on social media, and distributed to Alberta policymakers and health leaders. With media outreach, this initiative aims to inform public opinion and encourage health-positive action. Depending on interest, groups may also choose to participate in a town-hall or public event to disseminate this work to the public.