216: Introducing a new survey tool to evaluate Policy, Systems, and Environmental Change approaches across varied racial equity-focused initiatives

Policy, Systems, and Environmental (PSE) change approaches require a long time-frame to shift institutional, power, and social structures. Many are reluctant to invest in these approaches because it is difficult to show progress and impact within shorter-term funding cycles or other constraints. Measurement of process, progress, and impact can be difficult to compare across varied PSE initiatives, making it hard to judge comparative success. In this session, we will present a newly-developed tool called the “PSE change Approaches Report and Inventory”(PSE-ARI) that seeks to measure progress and impact of initiatives across a range of topic areas and populations. Categories of approaches include National, State, and Local Policies; Internal/Organizational Policies, Practices, and Processes; Resource Distribution and Access to Services; Relationships, Connections, and Community Engagement; Power Shifting; and Mental Models, Beliefs and Narratives. The tool produces quantifiable measures of PSE work, thereby demonstrating the tangible products of PSE change efforts.

Meghan Guptill; Stephanie Walker