How Equitable Policymaking Supports Strong Democracy

Democracy & Governance blog series: Part 1?

A Stronger Democracy Can Improve Our Health

Laws, policies, and the institutions that carry them out are foundational to our democracy because they determine the benefits and burdens of participation, power, and resources. For example, laws and policies often determine how funding is distributed at local and state levels of government, resulting in well or poorly resourced communities. Laws and policies create, expand, or shrink programs and services that support our health and well-being, like the Affordable Care Act or Head Start. Laws and policies can also determine who gets to participate in decision making — for example, through voting rights laws like same-day registration or exclusionary policies that require identification at the polls.

All of us are affected by laws and policies in one way or another. Whether the effects are positive or negative depends on many factors, including how government staff are trained, supported, and made accountable for decisions and also whether policymaking processes allow for meaningful participation by community members. Laws and policies should be designed and implemented to equitably aid all residents in their interactions with the systems, structures, and institutions that affect our well-being — like schools and jobs, hospitals and community clinics, and parks and playgrounds. Whether protecting our safety through speed limits and road rules, facilitating connections with neighbors through community design, or sustaining families through paid leave, our laws and policies — and the systems and institutions that carry them out — should support our safety, social connection, and stability as individuals and as communities. Such support is democracy in action.

Over the past few years, however, we have seen attacks on our democracy at federal, state, and local levels of government. At the local level, county boards of supervisors and city councils have attempted to increase access to better pay, affordable housing, and better internet connections; but in some states, policymakers have been actively trying to stop localities from addressing these needs. At the federal level, recent Supreme Court decisions have limited voting rights and have made it more difficult for some to access health care and higher education. Most recently, federal court decisions have changed how experts in government agencies can do their jobs, resulting in confusion, distrust, and disengagement, leading to policy solutions that are developed and implemented without important perspectives.

Our Laws & Policies Should Advance Equity & Democracy

To protect and improve our democracy — and to ensure that governments are doing their best to promote the well-being of all residents — we need robust civic engagement, improved governance practices, and an equitable approach to creating policies. Our governments and policymakers need to confront and eliminate racial and systemic inequities, not create new inequities or exacerbate existing ones.

Having strong democratic processes — such as meaningful and supportive governance, inclusive community engagement, and laws that uplift the people who are most marginalized in our society — is critical to ensuring that the benefits and burdens of laws and policies are fairly distributed. This connection between engagement, governance, and law forms the basis of an effective and just democracy in which all people can thrive.

How ChangeLab Solutions Is Promoting Democracy & Health

With fundamental changes to our democratic systems afoot, ChangeLab Solutions is focusing on the power of community voices in creating effective laws and policies that will advance health and equity now and in the future. For over 25 years, ChangeLab Solutions has partnered with state and local governments, community partners, and anchor institutions to support them in using the tools of law and policy to design and implement practical solutions to aid their residents and, more broadly, to strengthen our democracy.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we leaned into our public health law expertise and partnerships to demystify public health powers and effective allocation of resources in emergency times. We supported an equitable response to COVID by conducting critical legal analysis and research, which continues to be relevant even now as we confront current public health threats like measles and H1N5 (bird flu).

Since the release of A Blueprint for Changemakers, our groundbreaking guide to undoing the drivers of health inequity through law and policy, ChangeLab has been monitoring political shifts at federal, state and local levels of government, paying particular attention to opportunities that advance and strengthen community engagement processes, good governance practices, and equitable law and policy development — with the goal of promoting a stronger democracy. Our work with the BUILD Health Challenge exemplifies successful policy change efforts that amplify the power of community partners. Our strategies for equitable policymaking are helping government agencies engage in equitable policy change. And our policy resources on proactive rental inspection programs, Vision Zero, and rural communities provide examples of successful laws that respond to community needs. Stay tuned, and subscribe to our updates to stay informed on upcoming webinars related to these tools and our latest releases.

What’s Coming Up?

In 2025, ChangeLab Solutions will hold a series of in-person regional convenings across the nation to share, listen, and connect with partners. Our in-person gatherings seek to build and deepen relationships; listen to ideas for community solutions to local needs; and share our tools, resources, and trainings in order to improve health, well-being, and equity.

Regardless of the outcome of the upcoming national election, ChangeLab Solutions will remain committed to working with local and state leaders to protect our democracy and ensure that it continues to work for all of us. We are excited to partner with you. Please visit our website to learn more about how we can work together today to build a better tomorrow.

Please stay tuned for additional posts in our Democracy & Governance series:

• Blog 2: Building inclusive engagement processes to strengthen community power
• Blog 3: Governance that creates democracy-forward laws and policies
• Blog 4: Crafting and implementing laws and policies for better health and equity outcomes