The Health Policy Fellows Program is a signature program of IMPH and advances the mission of the Institute, to collectively inform policy to improve health and health care in South Carolina. IMPH serves as an informed nonpartisan convener and educator for policymakers and facilitates conversation about policy decisions that impact the health and well-being of our residents.

Through a local version of the program, the Rural Health Policy Fellows Program, IMPH, in partnership with the South Carolina Office of Rural Health, hosted one-day Rural Health Policy Fellows Programs in Williamsburg, Dillon, Darlington, Lee, Barnwell and Georgetown counties in 2022 and 2023 with elected policymakers and community leaders. Through this outreach and follow-up meetings, critical public health concerns in the six participating counties were identified.

This toolkit and the policy briefs have been developed to provide rural communities with information and relevant data to engage with appointed and elected officials to develop health policy solutions on the county and municipal levels. The policy briefs are for community members who want information about how to address specific public health concerns through policy.

This toolkit also provides guidance and tools for community members to engage policymakers about possible solutions.