Question

Describe the official procedures for enacting/passing a policy for hypertension among newark new jersey residents at the state or federal level (i.e. the legislative process)

Answer 1

Ans) Partnering for a Healthy New Jersey aptly names the key role of the NJCDPC Unit in
building seamless and integrated chronic disease prevention systems.

- At all levels (i.e. local, country, cross-county, state) and within all sectors (i.e. government, non-profit, private), chronic disease prevention and health promotion activities are taking place in New Jersey. Based on input from the planning workgroups though, there is little coordination and a resultant concern for potential gaps of coverage and possible redundancy. Stakeholders repeatedly expressed concern about the lack of information available about the efficacy of these
programs and that consumers, the end-user, often get lost as they try to navigate the health
system.
- Therefore, a key function for the NJCDPC Unit is to act as the coordinator by inventorying
and categorizing the myriad of initiatives and services available in the State. It will then be a
supporter of current and future growth in practices and policies by identifying gaps, potential growth, best practices, and change agents. It will support and encourage evaluation and implementers of successful initiatives.
With partners, it will develop and provide toolkits for effective strategies. It will be a
resource agent as it collates and disseminates positive efforts ranging from grass roots activities to policy improvements and a leveraging agent as it seeds innovation and works with private funders to take new initiatives to scale.
- It will coordinate evaluation as it tracks evidence-based efforts to increase the return on
investment. It will support and encourage research and track the desired changes in health
status of high-risk disparate populations. It will communicate with all partners so that they stay
informed during major changes in the fields of healthcare and prevention. It will also ensure
that appropriate and effective communication is provided for consumers so they can make
healthcare and daily life decisions that support wellness.
- Stakeholders raised the issue that partnerships frequently falter because no one group has
the specific charge to unite and facilitate the required host of activities. The NJCDPC Unit is ideally suited to bridge the activities within and beyond State government under a common
wellness goal. The NJCDPC Unit is also positioned to provide specific coordinating functions of gathering information, providing the time and space for aligning partner activities,
establishing shared measurement, mobilizing public-private resources and communicating
both to the consumer as well as to healthcare and community prevention partners.
- Finally, the NJCDPC Unit will be a champion for keeping health in all policies by identifying
opportunities for stronger public-private partnerships within multiple government agencies and policy-making bodies at the local, county, and state level.