Public Policy & Advocacy

Catalog description

This course presents theory, practice, and research applicable to understanding public policy and advocacy. This includes an advanced discussion of the professional psychologist as a change agent in the larger social, political, and economic contexts, and the professional psychologist’s roles within private and public sectors. An experiential approach will be utilized in order to provide students with ‘hands on’ opportunities as a way to achieve students’ learning objectives. The course begins with a focus on health care and mental health care policy and advocacy on a national level. Students will explore the role of psychologist as advocate in the formation and implementation of public policy at the national, state and local levels. Students will have the opportunity to research a mental health policy issue and pursue ways to advocate for the policy. Students will work on briefing papers, constituent letter, an opinion editorial and a public service announcement. Issues include health care and mental health care reform, public policy and cultural competence, health disparities, psychology in the public interest, the effects of policy on psychological practice, prescriptive authority and psychologist as advocate.