Agenda Comparison Grid Assignment: Study Notes and Examples

📍 Introduction
Understanding how presidential administrations shape healthcare policy is essential for nurses, public health professionals, and policy advocates. The Agenda Comparison Grid Assignment allows students to critically evaluate how different U.S. presidents have addressed a specific healthcare issue—such as mental health, opioid addiction, or insulin affordability—and how these agendas influence legislation, funding, and public health outcomes. This assignment also helps students develop advocacy tools like fact sheets to communicate with policymakers.

📊 Part 1: Agenda Comparison Grid
Use this section to compare how three presidential administrations (typically the current president and two previous ones) have approached a specific healthcare issue.

✅ Steps to Complete:
Select a Healthcare Issue

Choose a population health concern (e.g., opioid crisis, mental health, COVID-19 response, insulin pricing).

Briefly describe the issue and its impact on public health.

Describe Each President’s Agenda

Identify the administrative focus of each president regarding the issue.

Note any legislation, executive orders, or public statements.

Resource Allocation

Detail how much funding or resources each administration dedicated to the issue.

Include budget figures, grants, or program expansions.

Policy Approach

Explain how each administration framed the issue (e.g., public health vs. criminal justice).

Note any partnerships with agencies like HHS, CDC, or FDA.

🧠 Example (Mental Health):
President Agenda Focus Resource Allocation Policy Approach
Barack Obama Expanded mental health access via ACA $48M for behavioral health programs Prevention and early detection
Donald Trump Deregulation and domestic drug manufacturing $900M for opioid-related programs Emphasis on enforcement and treatment access
Joe Biden Youth mental health and fentanyl crisis $700M for scholarships and addiction centers Focus on equity and affordability
🧩 Part 2: Agenda Comparison Grid Analysis
This section deepens your understanding of how the issue gets on the political agenda and who drives it forward.

✅ Steps to Complete:
Identify the Responsible Agency

Choose the most relevant federal agency (e.g., CDC, HHS, FDA) and explain why.

Agenda Placement

Discuss how the issue gained attention (e.g., public outcry, media coverage, lobbying).

Explain how it remained a priority across administrations.

Entrepreneur/Champion

Select a public figure, legislator, or organization that champions the issue.

Justify their influence and relevance.

🧠 Example:
Agency: HHS is most responsible due to its oversight of mental health programs and funding.

Agenda Placement: Youth suicide rates and pandemic-related stress brought mental health to the forefront.

Champion: First Lady Jill Biden has actively promoted youth mental health initiatives.

📄 Part 3: Fact Sheet
Create a one-page document to advocate for your chosen issue. This should be concise, persuasive, and tailored for a policymaker.

✅ Key Elements:
Issue Summary: Briefly describe the healthcare issue and its urgency.

Impact: Use statistics to show how the issue affects the population.

Policy Recommendation: Suggest legislative or funding actions.

Nursing Role: Emphasize how nurses contribute to agenda-setting and care delivery.

🧠 Example (Mental Health Fact Sheet):
Title: Addressing Youth Mental Health in America Issue: 1 in 5 youth experience mental health disorders, yet access remains limited. Impact: Suicide is the second leading cause of death among adolescents. Recommendation: Increase funding for school-based mental health programs and expand Medicaid coverage. Nursing Role: Nurses are frontline advocates who identify early signs, provide care, and educate families.

🧾 Summary & Conclusions
The Agenda Comparison Grid helps students understand how healthcare issues evolve across administrations.

Analyzing presidential agendas reveals differences in funding, framing, and policy priorities.

Nurses play a vital role in shaping healthcare policy through advocacy and expertise.

The Fact Sheet is a practical tool to influence decision-makers and promote legislative change.

📚 References
Here are suggested sources to cite in your assignment:

NURS 6050 Agenda Comparison Grid and Fact Sheet Example

Biden’s Health Agenda in 2023 – ABC News

Trump’s Health Agenda – PwC

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Mental Health Overview.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Behavioral Health Funding Reports.