Advocacy

Advocacy Priority Areas

To guide our work, the Social Mission Alliance Advocacy Advisory Council determined the following priority areas for our organization:

  • Ensuring that the diversity of the health workforce matches the health workforce of the nation, and
  • Transforming social mission education to make sure that all health professions trainees are prepared to treat all the diverse communities of the country.

For Us All

The For Us All campaign is a vehicle to galvanize our vast community of committed health professionals from across the United States and internationally who have connected with SMA through our conferences over the past decade. Learn more about the For Us All campaign and how you can get involved. 

Sign Up for the Advocacy Bulletin

The Social Mission Alliance is pleased to offer our advocacy bulletin, Health Advocate Insights. Seeking to foster social accountability in the health professions, this publication aims to keep advocates, educators, and students informed about the latest state and federal policy developments in the ever-evolving landscape of health professions education and workforce.

Engagement

How we engage in policy and advocacy efforts:

  • For Us All campaign
  • Writing letters of support
  • SCOTUS Task force – exploring a response to the recent Supreme Court decision, Students For Fair Admissions v. Harvard
  • Health Workforce Policy Tracker – tracking bills that stand to impact the healthcare workforce
  • Student Assembly Virtual Hill Day – Students and Advocacy Advisory Council members meeting with members of congress to share our advocacy platform.

Advisory Council

In October 2022, Social Mission Alliance assembled the Advocacy Advisory Council. Led by Robert Rock and Raashmi Krishnasamy, the council was charged with establishing a plan to leverage Social Mission Alliance’s health workforce research expertise and network for advocacy efforts around social mission that will reach a wider audience.

In 2023, the Advisory Council hosted a virtual summit to convene leaders in pursuit of health equity, where they officially released the advocacy priorities.

In 2024-2025, the Advisory Council expanded its membership and is advising our latest advocacy initiative, the For Us All campaign.

Letters of Support

Below is a list of letters of support signed by the Social Mission Alliance in pursuit of policy change.


Build Back Better

In 2021, Social Mission Alliance (then Beyond Flexner) was pleased to submit this Letter of Support to the Ways & Means Committee in regards to the Build Back Better Act.

 

Pathways to Practice

Social Mission Alliance (then Beyond Flexner) sent a letter of support to chairman Richard Neal in support for the Rural and Underserved Pathway to Practice Training Programs, detailed in Section VI of the House Ways and Means Budget Reconciliation Legislative Recommendations, as an important step towards addressing our nation’s pressing health workforce needs.

Champion Spotlight

The Social Mission Alliance features Social Mission Champions on our social media accounts and blog. The series highlights the important work done by those who are advancing health equity and addressing the health disparities of the society in which it exists. If you’d like to be considered for a Social Mission Champion feature, complete the form below.