- 1Erika Blacksher is with the Department of Bioethics and Humanities, University of Washington, Seattle. Gina Maree is with Innovative Leadership Strategies LLC, Kansas City, MO. Suzanne Schrandt is with the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, Washington, DC. Chris Soderquist is with Pontifex Consulting, Hanover, NH. Tim Steffensmeier is with the Department of Communication Studies, Kansas State University, Manhattan. Robert St. Peter is with the Kansas Health Institute, Topeka.
Abstract
We describe a unique program, the Kansas Legislative Health Academy, that brings together state legislators from across the political spectrum to build their capacity in advancing policies that can improve the health of Kansans. To that end, the academy helps legislators develop new skills to deliberate the ethics of health policy, use systems thinking to understand the long- and short-term effects of policy action and inaction, and engage in acts of civic leadership. The academy also seeks to foster an environment of respectful open dialogue and to build new cross-chamber and cross-party relationships. Among the most important outcomes cited by program participants is the value of sustained, personal interaction and problem solving with individuals holding differing political views.
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