Please respond to both comments:
1. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is a federal organization. Their mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America’s communities. Also funds health services research (HSRIC, n.d.). According to the organization’s website, SAMHSA is an agency wishing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services(SAMHSA, 2021). There have been many laws and regulations impacted by SAMHSA, including the SUPPORT Act. As healthcare workers, we have most likely felt the impact of this Act. The SUPPORT Act, known as the Substance use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act,, or H.R. 6, was passed in 2018(SAMHSA, 2021). This Act has provisions that include greats for states and tribes, specific first responder training on overdose treatment, and establishing opioid recovery centers that include holistic care, FDA medication-assisted treatment, and housing (SAMHSA, 2021).
AARP, formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons, was established in 1958 (HSRIC, n.d.). According to the organization biography on HSIRC, AARP strives to; “…promote independence, dignity, and purpose for older persons; to enhance the quality of life for older persons; to encourage older people; and, to serve, not to be served. (HSRIC, n.d.).” We have all probably heard of AARP and know that they offer not only advocacy, but financial benefits from memberships and health insurance resources (AARP, 2021). In 2018, AARP CEO Jo Ann Jenkins advocated and petitioned for the US Senate to pass the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act (AARP, 2021). This bill did ultimately pass and helped to expand access to savings plans (AARP, 2021). She stated, “The gaps in America’s retirement savings system undermine our nation’s financial security and increase the risk of poverty among our retirees, and strain our social safety net.” (AARP, 2021).
The Cochran Collaboration is an international network that helps improve healthcare decision-making on a global scale, through review of healthcare interventions (HSIRC, n.d.). The mission statement of the organization, according to it’s website, is to, “..promote evidence-informed health decision-making by producing high-quality, relevant, accessible systematic reviews and other synthesized evidence.” (2021). Like many organizations, the Cochrane Collaboration published an editorial asking policy makers to act on incomplete evidence in responding to COVID-19 (The Cochran Collaboration, 2021). In this editorial, they provide suggestions to policy makers on how to move forward with the best available evidence, including ensuring all the known information is gathered before providing guidance to the public (The Cochran Collaboration, 2021). Although this is not a specific policy the organization has influenced, they were able to be a part of a voice speaking up to policy makers asking that the COVID-19 guidance to the public be sound, complete, and science-based.
Citations
AARP. (2021). What Guides AARP’s Policies, Adovcacy and Services. AARP. https://www.aarp.org/about-aarp/company/what-guides-us/.
The Cochran Collaboration. (2021). About us. https://www.cochrane.org/about-us.
HSRIC. (n.d.). Key Organizations. U.S. National Library of Medicine. https://hsric.nlm.nih.gov/hsric_public/topic/keyorganizations/.
SAMHSA. (2021). Laws and Regulations. SAMHSA. https://www.samhsa.gov/about-us/who-we-are/laws-regulations.
2. Federal Agencies:
One of the organizations that I picked that has a role in implementing health policy is the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Their purpose is to study the human body and its behaviors and to apply that knowledge to prolong life and minimize the length of illness. One of the policies that they have implemented is the alcohol policy (Alcohol Policy, 2020). This policy promoted guidelines for the amount of alcohol you should be legally allowed to drink, in order to reduce the negative health effects of drinking.
Association and Organization:
Under this category, I chose the American Medical Association (AMA). They promote the use of the scientific method in medical care, and reform the health practices to improve patient care and prevent chronic diseases (American Medical Association, 2014).
One of the policies that they implemented in 2014 was requiring meningococcal vaccines to school children aged 11 through 18 to avoid outbreaks of bacterial and viral meningitis (American Medical Association, 2014).
International Organization Association:
Under this association, I chose the World Health Organization (WHO).
The main purpose of this organization is to promote health by helping raise awareness of available healthy choices that encourage one’s wellbeing (WHO, 2020). A health policy that they implemented was to promote a healthy diet at all stages of life (Healthy diet, 2021).
Works Cited
Alcohol Policy. (2020). Retrieved from National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) | National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA): https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-health/alcohol-policy
American Medical Association . (2014, 10 6). New AMA policies address public health issues. Retrieved from AMA: https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/new-ama-policies-address-public-health-issues
Healthy diet. (2021, 10 26). Retrieved from World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet
WHO. (2020, MARCH 9). WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION . Retrieved from WHO : https://www.who.int/
