ALPHA Resolutions and Position Papers
How does ALPHA use resolutions and position papers?
Resolutions and position papers serve as ALPHA’s policy statements that help to shape ALPHA’s stance on a variety of public health topics reflecting the depth and the diversity of interests and expertise among ALPHA’s members. The resolutions and position papers serve as a regular source of information to many, including ALPHA’s members, its partners, and policymakers.
ALPHA refers to the resolutions and position papers as background for determining whether ALPHA will support or oppose legislation, regulations, and other actions based on the research, general position and recommendations included in the resolutions. The resolutions:
- Drive the content of legislative and regulatory recommendations including letters and comments sent to the Legislature and policymakers;
- Help to shape the development of legislative, regulatory, and media advocacy activities;
- Provide easy access to the latest research; and
- Help ALPHA develop statements, fact sheets, reports, and infographics.
How can YOU use resolutions and position papers?
ALPHA members can also use the resolutions and position papers to advocate for public health issues in their communities and organizations.
Additional opportunities for ALPHA members to use the resolutions and position papers include:
- Writing letters to the editor on various public health issues;
- Equipping oneself with the latest research and knowledge when advocating for public health with local and organizational policy makers; and
- Developing and expanding public health programs and initiatives.
RESOLUTIONS AND POSITION PAPERS: REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURE
Current ALPHA members are invited to respond to the Call for Health Policy Resolutions and Position Papers in writing using the format requirements described below. For each resolution, please provide a clear statement and findings related to the resolution, including target audience and impact. Proposed resolutions and position papers accepted by the Health Policy Committee and approved by the Board of Directors will be submitted to the membership in advance and voted on at the Annual Meeting. Resolutions from Prior Years are available below.
A resolution or position paper may be submitted by any member of the Alaska Public Health Association. For a resolution and/or position papers, at least one individual (sponsor) must be named to represent the proposal at the annual meeting.
The following represents the schedule the Health Policy Committee will follow:
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Due Date
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Event
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December 7, 2023
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All proposed position papers and resolutions are due.
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December 7 to
December 20, 2023
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Proposed position papers and resolutions are reviewed by the Policy Committee
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December 21, 2023
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Board votes to recommend position papers and resolutions
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December 28, 2023
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Resolutions and position papers approved by the board will be distributed to the general membership.
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February 1, 2023
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Approved or rejected by vote of the membership.
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Resolutions and papers must be submitted in the format described below to be considered:
Resolution - A resolution is a statement of specific action, series of action, or a principle endorsed by the Association, and usually directed toward a specific external individual, organization, or event. Resolutions may be policy or non-policy in nature.
Policy Resolution - A policy resolution is a concise statement of the Association's stance on specific issues affecting the health of the public. It may inform, exhort, show support (or lack of support) for programs or legislation, or describe a course of action. It represents a new statement on the part of the association or a substantial modification or extension of existing public policy of the Association.
Non-Policy Resolution - A non-policy resolution is a concise statement by the Association on non-policy matters, such as the commemoration of a significant event.
Position Paper - A position paper is a major documentation and analysis of a broad policy issue affecting the public's health on which ALPHA should take a position. It may not call for specific action.
Format Requirements
- Resolution - There are three parts of a resolution:
- Statement of the problem: reasons for action(s) to be taken. The reason for the proposed action needs to be documented; each reason needs to begin with a participle phrase, (e.g., "believing that", "recalling that", etc.).
- Statement of desired action(s): the desired action(s) needs to be appropriate to the problem and feasible for the Association to undertake. Each desired action needs to be stated in a single phrase beginning with the action present tense of the verb (e.g., “requests,” “notes,” expresses,” etc.) and needs to be listed consecutively,
- Fiscal and Alaska Public Health Impact Statement (See item D below).
- Position Paper - The standard format for a position paper will be:
- a statement of the problem,
- the purpose of the position paper,
- the objectives hoped to be attained by the position paper,
- a specific statement of any action(s) desired,
- a statement of the methods to be used for implementation, and
- fiscal and public health impact statement (See item D below),
- Position papers should not be longer than 10 typed, double-spaced pages.
- Fiscal and Public Health Impact Statement - A fiscal and public health impact statement should be separately attached to each resolution and position paper.
- Fiscal Impact - The first paragraph of the statement should indicate the proposed policy statement's fiscal impact on ALPHA, i.e., if it is implemented precisely as written. A guide for estimating the fiscal impact to ALPHA of implementing actions proposed in ALPHA public policy statements is attached.
- Public Health Impact - The second paragraph of the statement should indicate the probable impact the proposed policy statement would have on the public's health.
Special Notes
- Purpose of the Process – for the resolution/position paper
- to involve the entire membership in the business/future of the Alaska Public Health Association,
- to shape the business/future of the Association through a well-constructed process of policy development,
- to establish a sound basis of affiliate policy that can assist the American Public Health Association in its efforts to further the principles of good health policy,
- to have a significant impact on issues,
- to identify membership issues for Association involvement,
- to attract members,
- to establish ALPHA’s credibility as an authoritative source of policy and decision,
- to initiate legislative action, and
- to allow ALPHA to act instead of having to react.
Health Policy Committee Responsibilities
- The Health Policy Committee will review all resolutions and papers submitted. That review will take place throughout the year, and especially prior to the annual submission deadline.
- The Committee's primary function is to assure that the document is:
- appropriately prepared for the Annual Meeting,
- appropriately researched and documented, and
- appropriately reviewed for suggestions and recommendations to improve the quality of the document.
- The Health Policy Committee may review the resolutions and policy statement to develop a formal recommendation to the full membership. The membership will be apprised of those recommendations prior to the vote.
Public Hearing
- A portion of the annual meeting will be set aside for the full membership to review and debate the merits of the resolution/position paper at the annual meeting.
- Each sponsor, or their representative delegated the responsibility in writing, must attend the hearing where the policy statement is being reviewed to represent the proposal.
Late Breaking Resolutions at the Annual Meeting
- A late-breaking event is an event occurring after the resolutions and position papers submission deadline.
- Anyone wishing to submit a late-breaking resolution should contact the Chair of the Health Policy Committee or one of the officers of the Alaska Public Health Association.
- All submittals must be in writing and be in at least 24 hours prior to the public hearing time, and must document the urgency for late submittal. The chair of the Public Hearing may suspend the rules and take up resolutions on late breaking events.
- Late Breakers adopted by the membership will be labeled as such. Late Breakers will become the policy of ALPHA until the next annual meeting.
- Late Breakers adopted by the membership will need to be reaffirmed by the membership the following year to become an ALPHA Resolution in perpetuity.
- The following year, the sponsor of the Lake Breaker will follow the ALPHA Resolutions and Position Paper requirements and procedures and resubmit the Resolution.
- This route of submission at the annual meeting is discouraged as it bypasses the entire technical review process.
Past Resolutions
Committed to developing sound health policy and advancing the public’s health, ALPHA solicits resolutions and position statements from members for action at our annual meeting. The adopted resolutions form the basis for our advocacy efforts and remain relevant in perpetuity unless revoked or archived by the association.
Here is a list of past resolutions. Click on the link to view or download a copy resolutions by year. A summary only is provided for resolutions before 2011.
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