Bill Summary
The bill, SJR 100, was enacted on July 28, 2023. Senator Gordon M. Johnson, Assemblyman Herb Conaway, Jr., Assemblywoman Sadaf F. Jaffer, and Assemblywoman Angela V. McKnight sponsor the bill. The bill “designates the month of August as ‘Civic Health Month’ in New Jersey” (State of New Jersey, 2022). The bill’s primary goal is to support the advocacy efforts of physicians and healthcare organizations across the state, as well as increase awareness of the importance of civic health.
Strengths
The bill promotes civic engagement in the formation and design of community health policies. It highlights that health outcomes may be influenced by social determinants of health that should be considered to ensure an individual’s well-being (State of New Jersey, 2022). As Artiga and Hinton (2018) note, social determinants of health are crucial factors in reducing health disparities within the population. The policy supports healthcare providers in their efforts to address social determinants of health and promote activities that can contribute to civic health programs.
The bill promotes community engagement in public health issues by giving voters the right to choose healthcare programs and policies. It is an important activity related to the nursing ethical provisions, as nurses should act in the best interests of the community to reduce health disparities and promote health diplomacy (ANA, 2015). Healthcare organizations receive better opportunities for advocacy on public health issues. Therefore, the policy may have a significant impact on promoting public health engagement and civic health activities.
Weaknesses
However, the bill does not specify how voters can participate in civic health activities or promote programs. The bill targets only healthcare organizations and healthcare providers, who should act as advocates for addressing existing health disparities. At the same time, it does not provide specific information on the opportunities that community members receive to participate in public health programs. Therefore, the bill concerns the activities of community healthcare providers rather than community members. Therefore, it does not sufficiently expand community engagement to address health disparities, thereby failing to create a significant change.
References
ANA. (2015). Code of Ethics for Nurses. ANA.
Artiga, A., & Hinton, E. (2018). Beyond health care: The role of social determinants in promoting health and health equity. KFF.
State of New Jersey. (2022). Senate Joint Resolution No. 100. New Jersey Legislature.