HEALTH AMBASSADOR PROGRAM 2018 WHO WE ARE Founded in 1980 to - - PDF document

10/18/2018 1

HEALTH AMBASSADOR PROGRAM 2018

PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY-LA PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY-LA

WHO WE ARE

• Founded in 1980 to prevent threats to public health related to

nuclear weapons.

• In 1989, the LA office was the first PSR chapter to broaden its

public health mission to include environmental threats.

• Since then, we have grown to be the largest PSR chapter in the

nation.

PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY-LA

Mission & Vision

PSR-LA advocates for policies and practices that improve public health, eliminate environmental and nuclear threats, and address health inequalities.

Our Values:

• 1. We recognize that the physical and social environment often

determines health status, and are committed to addressing that reality.

• 2. Our work is grounded in science, and the lived experiences of health

professionals and their patients.

• 3. We are guided by the precautionary ideal to foresee and forestall

damage to human health and the environment. PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY-LA

WHAT WE DO

• Support to physicians and health professionals.
• Technical assistance, training, capacity-building to members & allies
• Work in coalitions and community partnerships
• Science-based links between health, environment, and policy

choices

• Policy development, legislative education, media advocacy, litigation

10/18/2018 2

PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY-LA

Video Clip

PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY-LA

PSR-LA Program s

Nuclear Threats Air & Climate Justice Land Use & Health Toxics

PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY-LA

Health Ambassador Program

PSR-LA will amplify your voice, helping you connect your medical expertise to to important health advocacy and social justice work.

10/18/2018 3

About The Program

Pick an Issue Area Attend the Trainings Engage

Select the PSR-LA issue area of your choice:

• Nuclear Threats
• Air & Climate

Justice

• Land Use & Health
• Toxics

Dig deeper into an issue area to become a more effective advocate for the change we need to see in policies and to raise awareness among the public and decision-makers about why change is necessary to protect health. Directly impact public policy outcomes with action alerts to visit decision makers, you will use your skills and knowledge to advocate for health protective policies

PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY-LA

Bring the Voice of Science and Public Health to Decision Makers

Provide a clear pathway for health professionals to engage in policy advocacy in a meaningful and strategic way. HAP is for health professionals seeking to lend their expertise and small portion

• f their time to social justice and policy

advocacy This program is NOT a doctors-only program PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY-LA PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY-LA

Health Professional Engagement

Listen to Community and Know the Community Build Trust with a Community (Don’t Parachute In) Co-power the Community through Education Community Owned Health Research Advocacy Grounded in Community Experience Media Coverage

OUR MODEL FOR

AIR & CLIMATE JUSTICE

PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY-LA

10/18/2018 4

PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY-LA S

Health Professionals Confronting Money In Politics

PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY-LA

Program Goals:

1. Mitigate health harming emissions by reducing toxic air emissions at the source and ensure that state climate policies are health protective and based on equity principles; 1. Build climate resiliency in Los Angeles’s most vulnerable communities, including in South LA, in order to protect against the health impacts of climate change communities in order to protect against the health impacts of climate change; 1. Ensure a just and equitable transition away from fossil fuel based economy to a 100% renewable energy economy.

ACJ Health Ambassador Goals

For each of you to leave here:

• 1. Feeling connected to the broader issue of air quality & climate change;
• 2. Understanding the important role you can play in solving these

problems; and

• 3. Equipped to engage meaningfully in the social justice-based vision of

the policy change necessary to improve people’s lives. During the year, each of you will:

• 1. Participate in at least two engagement opportunities.
• 2. Become strong advocates for environmental justice communities!

PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY-LA

What comes to mind when you think of Poor Air Quality vs. Climate Change?

PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY-LA

10/18/2018 5

We experience the two in different ways.

PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY-LA Poor Air Quality Impact: Local or regional Health effects: Asthma, headaches, dizziness, premature death Climate Change Impact: Global Health effects: Deaths related to extreme weather, vector-borne disease

But the sources are the same; Fossil fuels are the connecting link!

PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY-LA

Pollutant Contribution To Source Carbon Dioxide Climate Change Combustion of fossil fuels Particulate Matter Poor Air Quality Wood and fossil fuel burning Sulfur dioxide Poor Air Quality Combustion of fossil fuels, cement manufacturing Methane* Climate Change Oil and gas production, landfills, cattle farming

Toxic air pollutants and greenhouse gases are often released together.

We call these co-pollutants.

PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY-LA

Connecting Air Pollution & Climate Change

PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY-LA

10/18/2018 6

Fossil Fuels: The Main Culprit for Air Pollution and Climate Change

• The entire lifecycle of oil & gas from

extraction, production, refining, transport and consumption is dirty. It involved toxic chemicals and health-harming air pollutants, while also increasing heat- trapping greenhouse gases that warm the atmosphere.

• Solution: transition off of oil/gas to clean

and renewable energy. Clean the air, cool the planet! PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY-LA

What does this look like in Los Angeles?

10/18/2018 7

Health Impacts of Poor Air Quality

Air Pollution Health Risks

• Premature death
• Asthma attacks
• Heart attacks, strokes
• Worsening of pulmonary & cardiovascular

diseases

• Hospital and emergency room admissions
• Stunted lung growth

PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY-LA

IMPACTS OF LA’s LETHAL AIR

Source: “The Benefits of Meeting Clean Air Standards in the South Coast and San Joaquin Valley Air Basins” (Hall et PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY-LA

Deaths from air pollution in perspective...

Each day, on average, 8 people die, 5 children are taken for an asthma-related ER visit, and 3,000 children miss school, 1,090 people miss work, and 8 people have non-fatal heart attacks because of the

• ngoing failure in the South Coast Air Basin to meet

federal clean air standards for ozone (smog) and particulate matter.

Died in car accidents (2006) Died from PM2.5 (2006) Los Angeles 801 1,720 South Coast Air Basin 1,747 3,000

PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY-LA

10/18/2018 8

What are we doing about this?

PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY-LA

Take Action!

• 1. PSR-LA membership
• 2. Don’t Mourn, Organize! TBD
• 3. Take the STAND-L.A. Pledge
• 4. Learn to advocate

PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY-LA PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY-LA