Evidence-Based Health Policy Project

Mission

The Evidence-Based Health Policy Project (EBHPP) works to bolster the use of best evidence in the health policy and decision-making process.

This partnership among the UW Population Health Institute, the La Follette School of Public Affairs, and the Wisconsin Legislative Council connects lawmakers, researchers, and others in the public and private sectors to exchange knowledge and expertise.

Two program objectives support the overall program goal – advance the health and well-being of Wisconsin residents:

• Provide policymakers, in both the public and private sectors, with timely, non-partisan, high-quality information for evidence-based decision-making.
• Increase the involvement of UW faculty research and teaching activities in topical issues of state public policy

Background & Funding

The Evidence-Based Health Policy Project began in 2002 with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation State Health Policy Forums initiative. Today, this unique collaboration is made possible through grants from the Wisconsin Partnership Program, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, UW Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (ICTR), the UW-Madison Chancellor’s Office, and contributions from project partners.

Approaches

The project includes several approaches to deliver research and tools to stakeholders and policy makers. These include:

• Capitol Briefings: Briefings at the State Capitol provide legislators, staff, state agency employees, and other interested parties with timely information and research. Briefings address priority issues raised in the Legislature, or address broader, ongoing policy issues. These events are open to the public, and include question and answer sessions.
• Legislative Staff Trainings: Training sessions for legislators and their staff on resources generated at the University, such as the County Health Rankings and Roadmaps or What Works for Health, that can help build data and evidence into decisions, and into the day-to-day work in the Capitol.
• Community Conversations: Public programs held in communities across the state, where local knowledge and expertise is put in the context of the link between the campus, the community, and the state and local policymakers whose decision affect the health of that region.
• Methods Exchanges: One-on-one meetings between legislators and researchers on topics of interest. These conversations allow for mutual learning through direct dialogue, directly inform decisions or debate, and pave the way for continued collaboration.