Skip to main content

National Center for Mental Health Promotion and Youth Violence Prevention

Policy

Photo of toddler smiling

Public policy experts often describe program implementation and policy development as a two-way street. On the one side, data on the challenges local service providers face and the innovative practices they design to address those challenges can drive policy development at the state and federal levels. And on the other side, sound federal or state policies can shape effective service delivery by local organizations.

Policy Development in Project LAUNCH

Recognizing the importance of local-level input and data, the Project LAUNCH framers built an ongoing feedback loop into the Project LAUNCH model so that lessons from local Project LAUNCH communities can inform state policies that will guide service delivery in other states, tribes, and communities.

For example, as a result of observations of and feedback from and about local-level implementation, state and tribal Project LAUNCH leaders may consider changes in:

  • EPSDT periodicity schedules to ensure that developmental screenings are conducted in well-baby check-ups
  • Guidance for state-funded early education programs to ensure that providers offer parenting training to all interested parents
  • State child care licensing regulations to require that all classroom teachers receive training on strategies to promote healthy social and emotional development
  • The state’s Quality Rating System to require mental health consultation for early education programs to qualify for higher-rating tiers
  • Tribal regulations regarding funding of early childhood services

State, tribal, and local Project LAUNCH leaders play key roles in policy development. For example:

  • Local leaders can:
    • Analyze process and impact evaluation data to determine which interventions had the greatest effect and why
    • Confer regularly with state leaders and the child wellness council about barriers and successes
    • Deliver presentations at meetings and conferences (e.g., American Academy of Pediatrics, Associations for the Education of Young Children) to share success stories and to build community support for changes that will promote better services to children statewide
  • In projects with a state or tribal level component, leaders can monitor local program implementation to:
    • Discover barriers to effective services that can be remedied by policy or regulation change
    • Identify strategies and interventions that merit replication in other communities within the state
    • Gather data and anecdotes to build a case for policy and/or regulation change with tribal councils, legislators, and other decision makers
    • Locate allies that can advocate for desired changes