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71 <br />— — — — — — — — — — — - <br />- — — — — — — — — — — - <br />- — — — — — — — -- — — <br />Information gathered from assessment activities is used to develop local and state health policies. Policy <br />development includes consideration of political, organizational and community values. Good public policy <br />development includes information sharing, citizen participation, compromise and consensus building. The <br />process nurtures shared ownership of the policy decisions. Policy makers review the recommendations and <br />decide what will be done. <br />State Role <br />The State plays several roles in policy development. The state department of health is responsible for assem- <br />bling and providing a periodic state health report, identifying statewide priorities and goals which reflect a <br />series of local community planning efforts. <br />In partnership with local public health agencies, the State initiates and/or develops policies on health issues <br />that require statewide action or standards (e.g. clean air, water quality, tobacco control). <br />The state department of health should also serve as a clearinghouse for the State Executive Branch, taking a <br />leadership role in health policy and collaborating with other state agencies where overlapping responsibilities <br />exist. <br />Local Role <br />Many health policy issues first develop at the local level. Regional or state policy development efforts ought <br />to occur only when local leaders agree that such centralized policy development is more efficient and effec- <br />tive, and then only with active participation of local communities. <br />This approach is based on the assumption that the strongest public health policy is developed and owned by <br />citizens at the local level. <br />Local health departments should provide a leadership role in developing local priorities and plans in partner- <br />ship with the entire community. Local health departments should also have the authority to initiate, develop <br />and draft local ordinances or rules for health - related issues requiring a specific local response. <br />• <br />