2024 Political Drivers of Health Symposium

Political determinants of health include the governmental systems, structures, and policies that impact health outcomes.

In collaboration with an array of healthcare stakeholders and partners, the Office of Government Relations at Dartmouth Health hosted a day-long symposium on December 16, 2024, to explore the political determinants of health. We discussed how laws and regulations influence the health and economic prosperity of Granite Staters.

This event was open to the public, and all interested in the health and well-being of our communities were welcome to attend.

• When: Monday, December 16, 2024, from 8 am to 2:30 pm
• Where: New Hampshire Institute of Politics, Saint Anselm College, 100 St Anselm Drive, Manchester, NH 03102

Featured speaker

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Philip Alberti, PhD

Founding Director of the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC)'s Center for Health Justice

View Philip's bio

Priorities for the 2025 Legislative Session

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Panel discussions

Access to Maternal Health

Panelists:

• Julie Bosak, PhD, Director (Northern New England Perinatal Quality Improvement Network and New Hampshire Perinatal Quality Collaborative)
• Devan Quinn, Policy Director (New Hampshire Women's Foundation | Investing in NH Women & Girls)
• Jonathan Ballard, MD, Chief Medical Officer (New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services)
• Heather Martin, maternal health advocate

Resources:

• KFF: U.S. Maternal & Infant Health Data
• New Hampshire Women's Foundation: The Status of Girls in New Hampshire

Affordable, Quality Childcare

Panelists:

• Carolyn Isabelle, MS, System Vice President, Workforce Development (Dartmouth Health)
• Rebecca Woitkowski, JD, Early Childhood Policy Director (New Futures)
• Nicole Heller, PhD, Senior Policy Analyst (New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute)
• Joelyn Denner, MFA, Sr. Director, Early Childhood Initiatives (Granite United Way)

Resources:

• New Futures – Quality, Affordable Child Care
• New Hampshire Business Review – United Way child care study in NH points to need for greater business engagement
• New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute:
  • Despite High Child Care Tuition, Early Childhood Educators Receive Low Wages And Programs Typically Earn Little Profit
  • The Fragile Economics of the Child Care Sector
  • High Prices and Low Availability of Child Care in New Hampshire: Challenges Continue in 2024
• University of New Hampshire – Center for Social Policy in Practice – NH ECE Research Consortium – Resources

Housing Infrastructure

Panelists:

• Dave Duncan, System Vice President, Facilities (Dartmouth Health)
• Rob Dapice, Executive Director (New Hampshire Housing)
• Taylor Caswell, Commissioner (New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs)
• Natch Greyes, Vice President of Public Policy (Business & Industry Association New Hampshire)

Resources:

• New Hampshire Business Review: Study: Belknap County lacks affordable, workforce housing
• New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute: Construction and Homebuilding in New Hampshire

Right Care, Right Time

Panelists:

• Nate Goldstein, MD, Chair, Dept of Medicine, Dartmouth Health
• LisaBritt Solsky, JD, Executive Director, Office of Public Guardian (Office of Public Guardian)
• Brendan Williams, JD (New Hampshire Health Care Association – Taking Care of Those Who Took Care of Us)
• Bob Dunn, JD, Policy Director (Diocese of Manchester)

Resources:

• Barriers to Discharge Impacting Patients in New Hampshire Hospitals (PDF)
• New Hampshire Bulletin: Patients ready for discharge languish in New Hampshire hospitals, taking up needed beds

Youth Mental Health

Panelists:

• Erin Barnett, PhD, Psychiatry, Dartmouth Health
• Holly Stevens, JD, Policy Director (NAMI New Hampshire)
• Morgan Berry, Student & Youth Volunteer (YouthWell New Hampshire)
• Ken Fuller, Administrator (Merrimack Valley Learning Center)

Resources:

• KFF: A Look at State Efforts to Ban Cellphones in Schools and Implications for Youth Mental Health
• NAMI: Social Media and Mental Health

Event schedule