Overview

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Special topics in areas not currently covered within the graduate program offerings.

COURSE DETAILS:

Child Health Policy

Welcome! This seminar will provide you with an approach to understanding the policy process, viewed through the lens of child health. The goal is to equip you to engage in the policy process – whether as practitioners, advocates, policymakers, scientists or citizens – while also learning how child health underpins the health of populations. Defining policymaking as “collective ethical decision-making” for “the one and the many” we will first cover fundamentals: goals for healthy development for all children; models for understanding the policy process; and methods for policy-relevant writing and research. Then we will work through selected child health policy problems such as: impact of COVID-19 on children; service inequities for children with disabilities; childhood obesity, hunger and food insecurity; challenges implementing mental health research in practice for children; and violations of children's rights historically and currently, including racism, homo/transphobia and colonialism. For each topic we will also examine policy options for progress and reasons for hope – including what we can learn from Indigenous communities.

Each week will include: 1) instructor content overviews and case studies (60 minutes); 2) student reflections/presentations on the readings; 3) student reflections/presentations on “children in the news”; and 4) group conversation. You will also be asked to prepare three linked written assignments: 1) proposal for a systematic review on the child health policy topic of your choice; 2) policy briefing note aimed at persuading those who may disagree with your evidence and/or your conclusions; and 3) final paper. The course will culminate with simulated policy debates that you each will lead on the topic of your final paper.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

After completing this seminar, you will be able to:
1. Describe leading child health problems and their importance for the health of populations;
2. Explain major influences on the policy process and how to engage in the process constructively;
3. Outline effective policy approaches to reducing or resolving important child health problems;
4. Identify, critically appraise and rigorously synthesize health research evidence;
5. Apply your knowledge in understanding relevant historical and current news events locally and globally; and
6. Present your ideas effectively in writing and in discussions and presentations and debates.

Grading

Materials

MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:

Readings will be provided via Canvas at the beginning of term; there is no required text.