APIAHF PRIORITIES, Part 1 - The Universe.
by Gem P. Daus, Director of Policy
January 31 , 2005
Every organization has to have priorities. It's especially important for a policy organization like APIAHF because the nature of policy work is that it is difficult to predict (let alone control) when you will have the opportunity to make a difference. So in this confusion, it is important to know what we stand for (and to let others know), and to have criteria to decide affirmatively how will we spend our time and energy.
Of course, it's important that the work support the mission of the organization. But if you're not careful, you can argue anything into the mission, and before you know it, you've got what's commonly known as "mission creep." It's not enough that an issue is important--every issue is important. You have to have a way to narrow things down. Here are a few things we consider.
First, we've defined the broad areas in which we want to have some impact. If you are familiar with the health needs of our communities, these won't surprise you.
- Access to care - Lack of universal health insurance coverage is the biggest barrier to getting health care. In 1996, the board of APIAHF took the position that we are for universal coverage (see full text below).
- Quality of care - Having insurance is no good if you can't get good care. For our communities, this means culturally competent and linguistically appropriate services.
- Health professions - This could be a subset of #2. We want a health care workforce that is not only diverse, but culturally and linguistically competent.
- Data and research - APIAHF came into existence because of the lack of data about API health. We continue to this day to advocate for more and better data so that we can understand and treat the patient and system.
- Community - Our communities must participate in creating health and well-being. So we advocate for funding and other resources to go directly to communities so they can do all of the above and more.
But this is still overly broad. So we have to ask other questions (in no particular order):
- What other organizations (including other API orgs) are working on this issue? And how can we support them?
- Can we add something unique to this issue? What is the API spin? What is our unique take on this issue?
- What will it take to get to know the issue? [Especially if it’s the first time we’re going into an area.]
- Does this help us build relationships with key stakeholders/ decision makers/ allies? What is the benefit/impact to the community [short-term, long-term]? Will this give us opportunities to learn new approaches to policy work?
- Will this increase our profile and/or association with particular issues?
- Is our involvement realistic given our current resources?
- How current is the issue?
- Who is the champion of the cause?
- Who are the opponents and what are their messages?
- What can we do within our means? What is the bang for the buck? Is it worth it?
The last bullet of questions is usually the hardest. Recognizing that an issue is important, and wanting to get involved is easy. But how? A good example is our decision in 2003 to mobilize API Californians to vote against Proposition 54, which sought to ban racial and ethnic data collection by the state. Obviously, it falls within one of our five areas of impact. We were also already familiar with the issue and had testified before the US Commission on Civil Rights. What we couldn't predict was Gray Davis's recall, which forced the proposition onto an earlier ballot, shortening our prep time by six months. We decided to go full force: every one of our staff particpated asdid many many volunteers. Thankfully the proposition was defeated soundly and helped us feel that the effort was worth it.
Resources
1. Here is a link to our testimony of Proposition 54 before the US Commission on Civil Rights http://www.apiahf.org/policy/research/20020517briefing_datacollectingsban_USCCR.htm
2. Board position, adopted January 1996: APIAHF supports universal, comprehensive, affordable and accessible health care that ensures cultural and linguistic access for all residents of the U.S. and territories. APIAHF also supports the inclusion of community-based health care providers in the delivery of health care and the recruitment, training, education and employment of qualified Asian American and Pacific Islander health professionals.
News
I am sorry to report that Pat Okura died on Saturday. I never got a chance to meet him, but I knew he was revered by API activists. Sometimes, referred to as the grandfather of API psychology, he and his wife founded the Okura Mental Health Leadership Foundation with the money the U.S. government paid to all former prisoners of the Japanese internment camps. The foundation helps Asian Pacific Americans overcome racial, sociopolitical, language and other barriers through its Week in Washington Leadership Semina r. This week-long fellowship program is held in Washington , D.C. with federal government and agency leaders. Okura believed, "To learn what it takes to become a leader, one needs to see the bigger picture and to have knowledge of how policy is made in Washington and how it affects the country." We will miss him.
By voice vote on Wednesday, January 26, the Senate confirmed Michael O. Leavitt to be secretary of Health and Human Services. Leavitt, outgoing administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and a former Utah governor, takes over from Tommy G. Thompson.
Next week: APIAHF PRIORITIES, Part 2 - The Skinny
For comments, suggestions, feedback, email Gem P. Daus at gdaus@apiahf.org
