Legislative Advocacy 101

1. Legislative Advocacy 101 By: Brenda Ritson MD, Emily Rothbaum MD, Meg Sullivan MD, Dodi Meyer MD & Anne Armstrong-Coben MD

2. Outline • History of Curriculum • Goals • Intro to Leg Advocacy • YOUR Responsibilities • Resources http://northstargallery.com/americainheritage/washington/wash94web.jpg

3. History • Fall 2007 • Comm Peds Residents: • Brenda Ritson, Emily Rothbaum, and Meg Sullivan • Helped faculty revise 2nd Yr Comm Peds block Legislative Advocacy component • 5 Session Curriculum developed • 2009 curriculum redesign – 3 sessions

4. Objectives • To teach Residents HOW to effectively develop and disseminate an advocacy message. • To increase resident and faculty AWARENESS of advocacy issues and opportunities.

5. Goals • Expose residents to current legislative efforts, issues, and needs surrounding children's health. • Teach techniques for researching current legislative issues that pertain to children’s health . • Provide a forum for residents to share their work on current issues, legislation, and advocacy efforts with medical students, residents, and attendings.

6. Overarching Goals • To fosterawareness about legislative advocacy among residents and the CHONY community. WHILE • EmpoweringCHONY pediatricians to be active advocates for children’s health issues, both now and in the future.

7. Legislative Advocacy 101

8. What is Advocacy? • “Act of pleading for, supporting or recommending…” – Websters Dictionary. • From the Latin advocare: “to call to one’s aid”

9. What is Advocacy to US? • “An attitude, plan of action and behavior that have as specific goal(s) the improvement of the physical, emotional, or environmental condition of an individual child or adolescent, family or their community.” – Dyson Initiative definition

10. The Three “A’s” of Advocacy • Awareness • Your own, friends, family, colleagues, legislators. • Advancement • By getting involved, you can help advance a movement or effect a policy change. • Action • Make contacts, write letters, call or visit your elected officials, support an organization.

11. Why Should WE Be Advocates? • Children can’t advocate for themselves • We have a unique position to see problems and understand their implications • The problems matter • We have “respect” and “credibility” http://www.dcddiary.org/images/drowningDCDchildren.jpg

12. Why Should We Be LEGISLATIVE Advocates? • You may “hate” politics, but you can’t ignore the consequences of politics … especially for children who can’t speak for themselves. http://erlc.com/images/article_photos/misc/silenced_-_iStock.jpg

13. Examples of Leg. Advocacy • Mandating window bars in apartments with children (NYC) • Helmet Laws (State) • S-CHIP (Federal)

14. The Legislative “Process” • Sloooooooooow … • Varies for different Legislative bodies • Know when your voice will be heard • Proposal of a bill • Public Hearings on the issue • Lobbying individual legislators • And Intervene!

15. http://www.racewire.org/archives/bill,%20law.jpg

16. How does a Bill become a Law? • http://www.votesmart.org/resource_govt101_02.php • http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Educational/Bill_Becomes_Law/Bill_Becomes_Law.cfm • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEJL2Uuv-oQ (video)

17. Who are your Representatives?

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19. Summary of This Block

20. Block Responsibilities • I – Advocacy 101 with Attending • Begin to think about “Hot” Topic • II/ III – Research/ Create “Hot” Topic Presentation • Present “Hot” Topic • Optional – Media/Spread the Word

21. Session I • Advocacy 101 • Today … • Intro to the Legislative Process • Start thinking about Hot Topic

22. Session II • Research your “Hot” Topic • Define the problem with a population perspective • Who will be affected? How severe are the effects? • Who are the stakeholders? • Review recent history • Learn about current controversies/events • Find federal and state policies under consideration or debate • Develop your own stance on the issue

23. Session II-III • Create your “Hot” Topic Presentation • Powerpoint? • Samples available

24. Presentation of “Hot” Topic • Goals: • Educate others about your issue and • Motivate their participation in advocacy • Presentation (Powerpoint?) • 20 to 30 minutes • Noon conference at the end of the block • There’s a guide to help you along

25. Optional • 10-15 minutes • Start: • Letter writing campaign, • Petition signing, or • Post an invitation to an upcoming policy briefing meeting or other advocacy activity

26. Extras … • VOTE! • Find out who your Legislators are. • Call them in support/against a bill. • Write a Letter to the Editor • Write an Op-Ed • Lobby visits to the State Assembly • Participate in “Lobby Day” or “Call to Action” Phone call http://www.labelvalue.com/images/iVotedKids.gif

27. How to Choose your “Hot” Topic? http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/images/kidsspeakup.jpg

28. Sample Presentations Given • The New York State Healthy Schools Act: What is it? How can we support it? • Barriers to Renewing SCHIP: Doesn’t anyone care about kids anymore? • New NYC School Policies about MRSA Infections: Science or Scaredy-Cats? • “Universal Health Care”?

29. Sample Other “Hot” Topics CMS Regulations SCHIP Reauthorization MediKids Title VII Health Professions Programs Reducing Resident Funding • Obesity • Vending Machines • Trans Fat • School Meals • Skater Helmets • Plan B

30. Resources • www.communityped.org • www.aap.org/advocacy.html • www.kff.org • http://capwiz.com/nycac/home/ • http://www.familiesusa.org/resources/action-center/ • http://familiesusa.org/tell-us-your-story.html

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32. Summary • It’s easy to be an advocate.

33. Your Tasks • Learn! • Pick a Hot Topic and Research it • E-mail it to me by Monday • Write a Letter to your Rep • Give a Noon Presentation • Become an Advocate!

34. Questions?

35. The End