Policy Surveillance Institute 2022

September 28-30, 2022 / Virtual

The 2022 Policy Surveillance Institute, hosted by the Temple University Center for Public Health Law Research, will teach scientific legal mapping methods during a three-day intensive virtual training seminar.  

Policy surveillance tracks public health laws and policies over time and across jurisdictions, using a rigorous scientific process to create data for evaluation and empirical research. 

The Policy Surveillance Institute is intended for individuals who are interested in studying policies and law once they are enacted and exploring variation in policy across jurisdictions and over time. Participants will learn each step in the policy surveillance process with live training from experts from the Center for Public Health Law Research using policy surveillance software and through collaborative exercises. 

Logistics 

When

  • Optional Pre-Institute Legal Research Training and MonQcle Demo: September 27, Intro to the Law beginning at 11:00 a.m. ET, the MonQcle Demo beginning at 12:00 p.m. ET
  • Policy Surveillance Institute: September 28-30, 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET with a 45-minute midday break each day 

Where

Virtual, Zoom links will be provided to registrants 

System requirements:

  • An internet connection – broadband wired or wireless (3G or 4G/LTE)
  • Speakers and a microphone – built-in or USB plug-in or wireless Bluetooth
  • A webcam or HD webcam - built-in or USB plug-in
  • Or, a HD cam or HD camcorder with video capture card

For a full breakdown of Zoom Desktop Client on Windows, macOS, and Linux, please visit: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362023-System-requirements-for-Windows-macOS-and-Linux#h_66cb65e7-a02d-47d5-a067-a85f3d184c6b

Learning Objectives 

Institute participants will:  

  • Learn how to conduct policy surveillance, a methodology to carry out legal epidemiology research. This includes learning how to efficiently track and analyze policies across jurisdictions, and engaging in each step of the policy surveillance process to create an empirical legal dataset. 
  • Learn the potential for using legal data for evaluation.
  • Network virtually with other policy professionals, including local department of health officials, government agency employees, advocates, and researchers in academia.
  • Learn the primary steps in conceptualizing a policy rating project using legal mapping data.
  • Discuss strategies for dissemination, including potential audiences and outlets. 

Advanced track participants will also learn dataset management techniques to lead a policy surveillance project from start to finish. 

*The Policy Surveillance Institute will not focus on tracking bills as they move through the legislative process. 

Who Should Attend? 

The Policy Surveillance Institute is intended for individuals interested in tracking policies and law once they are enacted, and exploring variation across jurisdictions and over time. Participants may be, but are not limited to, law and public health professionals and students: 

  • Lawyers 
  • Faculty 
  • Researchers
  • Government agents
  • Public health practitioners
  • Advocates
  • Law students
  • Policy and public health graduate students 

What is the Difference between the Introductory and Advanced Tracks? 

The Policy Surveillance Institute has two concurrent tracks: the introductory track and the advanced track. Both tracks are open to students and professionals. All attendees will also have the opportunity to join an optional session before the Institute introducing basic legal research methods.  

Introductory Track 

The introductory track is appropriate for individuals who have limited to no knowledge of policy surveillance and scientific legal mapping techniques.  

This track will use hands-on exercises to introduce the full policy surveillance process, and will use pre-set examples to illustrate how to apply the process to create a cross-sectional dataset (tracking laws and policies at one point in time across jurisdictions). Upon completion, participants will be able to apply the policy surveillance process to their individual projects. The process includes the following steps: 

  • Scoping 
  • Background research&nbsp
  • Question development 
  • Collecting the law&nbsp
  • Coding the law&nbsp
  • Quality control 
  • Publication and dissemination
  • Tracking and updating the law

Advanced Track 

The advanced track is appropriate for individuals who are familiar with policy surveillance methods and who want to learn how to lead a policy surveillance project. Attendees will learn the steps necessary to create and manage a policy surveillance project, including creating a transdisciplinary team, recruiting a subject matter expert, project planning, quality control methods, and conceptualizing the project from start to finish. The advanced track will also cover longitudinal data building. Attendees for this track will benefit by coming with a project or topic in mind, as the track will also focus on providing hands-on technical assistance for project managers. Individuals enrolling in the advanced session will be asked to demonstrate their proficiency by identifying previous training, or relevant experience (e.g., attendance at a previous Policy Surveillance Institute, attendance at all parts of one of the Advanced Webinar Series, previous work on a policy surveillance project). 

Registration  

REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED

Space is limited and registration will close September 16, 2022 

  • Student registration: $100
  • Early career professional (up to 36 months post-graduation): $225
  • Professional registration: $325

Registration includes access to all materials before, during, and after the Institute; pre-Institute sessions providing an introduction to legal research and a demo of the MonQcle software; a subscription to MonQcle; and a technical assistance session with CPHLR experts. 

Continuing Legal Education 

Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit will be offered for the virtual Policy Surveillance Institute. The number of credits will be finalized once the final agenda is available (at least one month before the Institute), but typically average about 10 credits for the full Institute.  

There is an add-on cost at the time of registration of $150 to receive CLE. 

Please contact Bethany Saxon with any questions, bethany.saxon@temple.edu or 215-204-2134