1. Ohio Clinicians for Climate Action
The Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health Annual Meeting
April 9, 2018
Washington, DC
Aparna Bole, MD, FAAP
Division Chief, General Academic Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine
Medical Director, Community Integration,
UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital

2. OCCA History
Approached by local foundation invested in clean energy & climate action advocacy
Administrative home: Ohio Environmental Council (OEC)
OEC is a non-partisan, highly respected environmental advocacy organization with strong relationships in the state house & strong regional advocacy networks
Clinician advocacy day in Columbus: Sept 20, 2017
Communication training
Climate change & health 101
Republican & Democratic state senator involvement
Press conference on wind setbacks

4. Ken Lee Same patients Surgeon leverage OHE Toledo Cleveland Columbus
Cincinnati
Ken Lee
Same patients
Surgeon leverage
OHE

5. OCCA 2017 goals
Assemble an advisory board of members to co-develop educational resources and serve as core membership group;
Mobilize quickly around Ohio clean energy advocacy opportunities;
Build an online presence;
Mobilize clinicians to participate in at least one action;
Activate clinicians to take regular action (i.e. participating in earned media, speaking to the public);
Host two trainings to introduce and strengthen clinicians’ advocacy skills on climate change; and
Generate at least 12 earned media hits that highlight the importance of clinicians’ voices in this debate.

6. OCCA Organizational Structure & Priorities
Staffed & coordinated by OEC
Advisory committee of clinicians & others
Geographic diversity – Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati
Pediatrics, pulmonology, internal medicine – all academic physicians
Healthcare Without Harm, Medical Society Consortium, OEC RN board member also included
Policy priorities
Energy efficiency & renewable standards
Wind setbacks
Fracking on public lands
Lake Erie & Ohio River water quality
Redistricting

7. OCCA year 1 accomplishments
8 member advisory committee meets monthly
120 OCCA members
Educational resources: webpage, action toolkits, & social media
Clinicians engaged in more than 100 actions
Advocacy day, inclusion of trainees
~15 clinicians engaged in more regular and repeated actions.
Drafting & publishing blogs
Signing on to action alerts
Speaking at a citizen hearing about US EPA funding.
Participating in town hall event on anniversary of Toledo Water Crisis
Testifying at Clean Power Plan hearing in WVA

8. OCCA next steps, strengths & challenges
CME events
Grand rounds “exchange”
CME conference
Formal MOUs w/ state chapters of medical professional societies
Dedicated staffing to bring expertise in working with health professionals
Recruitment - increasing geographic & specialty diversity of members
Additional opportunities for trainees
Strengths
OEC advocacy network, strategy, & relationships; staff
Challenges
OEC unfamiliarity with working with health professionals, efficiency challenges, how best to align with national initiatives

11. Thank you! Aparna.bole@uhhospitals.org 216-844-5738 @DrAparnaBole
SARPS