title: Infusing Science into Politics and Policy: The Importance of Legislators as an Audience in Mental Health Policy Dissemination Research.
abstract: Legislators (i.e., elected Senators and House Representatives at the federal- and state-level) are a critically important dissemination audience because they shape the architecture of the US mental health system through budgetary and regulatory decisions. In this Point of View, we argue that legislators are a neglected audience in mental health dissemination research. We synthesize relevant research, discuss its potential implications for dissemination efforts, identify challenges, and outline areas for future study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Management & Policy, Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health, Nesbitt Hall, 3rd Floor, 3215 Market St., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA. jpp46@drexel.edu.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Purtle
authors.affiliation: Division of Public Health Sciences, George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA.
authors.forename: Ross C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Brownson
authors.affiliation: Center for Mental Health Services Research, George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA.
authors.forename: Enola K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Proctor
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000379:methods*; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011050:Policy Making; D011057:Politics; D014481:United States