The growing number of Health and Aging Policy Fellows constitutes an extended network of individuals who, individually and collectively, have a proven track record to shape policies that improve the lives of older Americans across many different levels of the US health care system.
Through the establishment of an active alumni network, the HAPF Program seeks to strengthen the existing network and advance the capacity of our alumni to individually and collectively drive policy change that broadens and sustains the impact of the program. Each year the alumni community grows as a dynamic network that advances important initiatives in a rapidly changing health and aging policy environment. The alumni network now includes 180 Fellows who are spread around the country promoting changes that will enhance health, dignity and rights for older Americans.
Our partnership with West Health enables us to pursue important initiatives that broaden and sustain the impact of the Program by:
(1) providing post-fellowship support through an active alumni network, attendance at alumni meetings that are held annually in conjunction with the annual Policy Symposium and/or current Fellows’ Capstone meeting, and provision of transitional/post-fellowship mentoring;
(2) utilizing alumni Fellows as speakers at meetings organized by the Program (Orientation Seminar, Communication Seminar, Spring Symposium) and as peer mentors to current Fellows; and
(3) incorporating the Health and Aging Policy Fellows into other organizations’ alumni networks with eligibility to participate in their programs and events (e.g., The John A. Hartford Foundation, American Political Science Association, etc.)
(4) identifying and supporting common projects for post-fellowship collaboration on policy and advocacy for older Americans among teams of alumni across cohorts.
