Institute for Public Strategies

EQUITY MATTERS: COVID-19 has provided many lessons about our health system that need to be taken to heart. Even with a rebalancing of spending, it is essential to respond to such lessons to create a more equitable and effective system.

ALCOHOL POLICY MATTERS: With new coronavirus infections rising across Europe and health services being pushed to the brink, governments are considering new alcohol policies such as limiting alcohol availability to help stop the spread.

POLICY MATTERS: The placement of government warning labels about the health risks of alcohol products should be standard practice. If adopted, it would inevitably lead to greater public support for a range of other alcohol policy solutions.

HEALTH & SAFETY MATTERS: San Diego County residents support taking a significant amount of funds away from law enforcement and instead using them for mental health services, substance abuse treatment and job-training programs.

MARKETING MATTERS: Mom Water poses the question: Are you drinking too much, or are you just doing what you need to take care of yourself? a dangerous message during the pandemic, as more parents are drinking to cope with stress.

PUBLIC HEALTH MATTERS: We must not only treat COVID-19; we must also urgently address the underlying social inequalities that shape it and other afflictions poverty, housing, education, and race, which are the all-powerful determinants of health. http://www.healthdata.org/gbd/2019

SCIENCE MATTERS: Public health experts are calling for stronger alcohol regulations to reduce the spread of the Coronavirus. Limiting alcohol availability would also reduce the alcohol burden on healthcare, emergency services, society and the economy.

PUBLIC HEALTH MATTERS: Craig Reed and Meredith Gibson, Directors for the Institute for Public Strategies, will present at the APHA annual meeting on October 24 - 28, 2020. Topics include Community Change, Media Advocacy, and Place Matters: Promoting Health Equity for Latino Communities in San Diego’s South Bay. IPS works alongside communities to build power, challenge systems of inequity, protect health and improve quality of life. https://www.apha.org/annualmeeting

EQUITY MATTERS: American Public Health Association declares racism a public health crisis, calls on governments to decriminalize drug use and sex work. Policy statement also calls for reallocating police funds to efforts that benefit public health, such as education and housing programs.

HEALTH MATTERS: What happens in the community - like the availability of parks, high-quality schools, healthy food, affordable housing, and clean air and water - has a greater impact on people than what happens in the doctor’s office

ALCOHOL POLICY MATTERS: Alcohol use has a massive effect on the younger population, causing major costs in the age groups 20 to 44. This amounts to $36.5 billion every year in health-care spending, a sum that could largely be avoided through alcohol policy solutions.

DRUG USE MATTERS: Makers of benzodiazepines must now put warning labels on their drugs informing users about the potential for addiction. The FDA estimates that 92 million benzodiazepine prescriptions were dispensed from U.S. pharmacies in 2019.

The Institute for Public Strategies unveils its next-generation vision, mission, and core values under new CEO/President, Brenda Simmons. IPS specializes in implementing upstream, population-level prevention programs that reduce health disparities and advance equity. We work alongside communities to protect health and safety, prevent community trauma, and expand opportunities so that all people can reach their full potential. Check out the re-launch of our website at publicstrategies.org!