Curriculum Guide · Courses

Professor Kelli Garcia

J.D. Practicum 1078 | 4 credit hours

This practicum course will provide an introduction to regulatory advocacy as it pertains to the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and women’s health. Curricular work will provide (1) an introduction to rulemaking and regulatory advocacy; (2) an introduction to the Affordable Care Act, insurance market reforms and how health care reform will affect women’s health; and (3) opportunities to read and analyze statutory language, proposed rules, public comments and final rules, when available. In addition, guest speakers will provide practical insight into regulatory advocacy, with a focus on women and health care reform.

The course will provide students with substantive knowledge of the ACA and a real world understanding of consumer advocacy and the regulatory process. Part I of the course will begin with an introduction to the rulemaking process with a focus on the role of consumer advocates. Part II will turn to the ACA’s insurance market reforms and how these reforms will affect women; analysis of proposed rules; examining how consumer advocates responded to the proposed rule and then, by examining the final rule, how effective that advocacy was. In addition, class lectures and discussion will include information on advocacy that happened before the official rule-making period commenced. Students will have opportunities to discuss their projects and present their work in class and engage in advocacy simulations.

For the practicum part of the course, students will work with the National Women's Law Center to develop projects that will assist in the organization's regulatory advocacy efforts. Students will have the opportunity to participate in strategy meetings and conference calls with the partner organization and other coalition members.

Prerequisites: Students must complete the required first-year program prior to enrolling in this course (part-time and interdivisional transfer students may enroll prior to completing Criminal Justice, Property, or their first-year elective).

Students may not concurrently enroll in this practicum course and a clinic (except Street Law) or another practicum course. Students may concurrently enroll in this practicum course and an externship.

THIS IS A PRACTICUM COURSE.

This is a 4 credit course. 2 credits will be awarded for the 2-hour weekly seminar and 2 credits for approximately 10 hours of supervised work per week, for a minimum of 11 weeks. Both the seminar portion and the supervised work will be graded.

Students who enroll in this course will be automatically enrolled in both the seminar and practicum components and may not take either component separately. A student wishing to withdraw from the course will be withdrawn from both the seminar and field work components.