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New Jersey Policy Forums on Health and Medical Care Forums by Topic Issue Brief Archive

A Policy Forum provides the opportunity and the means for policy makers and key stakeholders to step back and look at the broad picture of policy development and implementation on a given issue. This opportunity is often lacking in their day-to-day business activities.

Policy Forums invite policy makers in the executive and legislative branches of state government, as well as key stakeholders from both public and private sectors to attend. Original issue briefs are researched, written and distributed in advance of the session to provide a basis of information. National and state expert speakers at the Forum also provide significant information on the selected issue.

At Policy Forums, speakers and attendees engage in candid, off-the-record dialogue about timely policy issues. A trained facilitator moderates the discussion. The topic is analyzed from the perspective of each key player and from "all sides" of the issue. Participants have the opportunity to connect before and after the Forum, which helps build alliances that can lead to change. The model has been successful on emerging issues facing states, particularly health care.

An issue brief offers original policy analysis and bibliographic resources on a specific policy issue to be discussed at a forum. Briefs also serve as reference materials for comparative state-level information.

Some briefs serve as detailed background papers, providing an historical framework for the issue, findings from research studies and comparative points of analysis. Others may provide a summary of current trends, issues and policy implications. Issue briefs are written in "plain language" in order to translate research findings into a format that is accessible and useful for public policy makers.