Transcript Effective Lawmaker Engagement

Effective Lawmaker
Engagement
Growing Support for Supportive Housing
in FY 2016
Supportive Housing Providers Association
Providing permanent housing solutions to
end homelessness and institutionalization
Section One:
Understanding Our Message
Our Mission and Focus
• We’re
committed to ending homelessness and
unnecessary institutionalization for Illinoisans.
• We’re
deeply concerned about the consequences of
losing supportive housing and homeless services in
Illinois – particularly at a time when the state is
transitioning thousands of individuals from institutions
to community settings, addressing multiple federal
court decrees and closing several state institutions.
Our Challenge:
Vastly Expanding Population
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Illinois is transitioning upwards of 20,000 people with disabilities
from institutions to community-based settings, as required by
federal court-ordered consent decrees.
The state’s re-balancing initiative will reduce the number of people
served in institutions and increase demand for service in community
settings.
These individuals may access the critical services they need,
if and only if adequate supportive housing exists.
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Homelessness continues to be an issue in Illinois.
Housing costs continue to be out of reach for many.
Prepare to Tell Your Story,
In Simple Terms
• Supportive housing supports and families and individuals
with special needs such as mental illness, substance
abuse disorders, or chronic, debilitating physical illness
such as HIV/AIDS.
• Supportive housing improves quality of life for thousands
of Illinoisans while ending reliance on expensive
institutional care.
• Supportive
Housing, Homeless Services and Mental
Health Services save taxpayers’ money!
Section Two:
Understanding Our Priorities
Our Priorities for Supportive Housing
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The state needs a revenue solution for the remainder FY 2015 and
FY 2016!
Without a revenue solution, Illinois will fall $1.5 billion short on revenues to
support services in FTY 2015 and up to a $6.5 billion shortfall in FY 2016.
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Restore current supportive housing funding levels at $30.8 million!
Currently, 12,000 people are living in supportive housing in Illinois. To
maintain services for these people, $31.4 million is needed.
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Expand supportive housing service funding by $3.6 million!
A small investment by the state of $3.6 million dollars in FY 2016 will pay for
supportive services for an additional 788 homeless and/or mentally ill people
to live in 734 units and leverages a total of $28 million in capital funding and
resources already secured by these organizations – an 8 to 1 return on
investment for the state.
Our Priorities for Supportive Housing
Full Funding for Supportive Housing! $34.4 Million
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State general revenue funds leverage federal funds. No state funding
means no federal funds for Illinois!
The Governor’s budget cuts supportive housing funding by $12.7 million.
This means the state loses up to $38 million in federal funds!
The Governor’s budget also proposes to cut $9 million in “special
projects”, mental health supportive housing, affecting services for two
class action lawsuits.
These cuts affect services offered to 10,300 people, placing them at risk
for institutionalization. These cuts also significantly reduce the state’s
ability to provide services under Court ordered class action suit
settlements.
Full funding for current and new supportive housing projects.
Our Priorities for Supportive Housing
Supportive housing is far less expensive than
institutional settings
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State mental hospital:
$127,810
Prison:
$38,268
Nursing home:
$62,050
Supportive services*
$4,000
* Fair market rent for a one bedroom apartment ranges from $5,000 - $11,000, depending on location. Rent
subsidies are available through federal support programs.
Our Priorities for Supportive Housing
The Illinois Housing Development Authority’s 2013 Annual
Report says:
“Supportive Housing Costs $37,000 Less
Per Year, on Average.”
$34.4 million in the FY 2016 budget will fully
fund current and new supportive housing
projects, supporting 13,000 people.
Remember: “All Politics Are Local”
• To the degree that members of the General Assembly
will be interested in our issue, they will be chiefly
concerned with local implications.
• Organize your thoughts – and your message – as they
relate to the local community.
• Prepare your message in local terms, while providing a
statement of statewide need.
Section Three:
Preparing for Outreach
Prepare Your Story!
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How many people does your organization serve? How many
communities do you serve?
What types of people do you serve? (Chronically homeless?
Individuals with mental illness? Families? All?)
How long have you been serving your community?
Which other local organizations do you work closely with?
(Churches? Local governments?)
In the absence of your operation (and any applicable
expansion), what would become of the individuals you serve?
Where would they go? How would your community cope?
Section Four:
Outreach
Know Your Audience
• Lawmakers
deal with dozens of major policy issues,
hundreds of competing interests, and literally thousands
of bills.
• Any lawmaker you speak with likely will be short on time
and simultaneously focused on myriad other matters.
• Be prepared to succinctly convey our basic message and
budget priorities, while cultivating your relationship with
your local lawmakers.
Find Your Legislator
• Locate your Legislator’s office in your home District.
• Make an appointment at his/her office or, better yet,
invite your Legislator to your agency and offer a tour.
• Leave a copy of the SHPA advocacy summary with your
Legislator. (Find the summary at www.shpa-il.org, on the
“Advocacy” page.)
Find Your Legislator
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If your advocacy brings you to the State Capitol, Legislators
will most likely be found in either the House or Senate
Chambers, on the 3rd floor of the Capitol.
Legislators also have offices in one of two locations:
- The Capitol Building
- The Stratton Office Building
Look for your Legislator first in their Chamber. Give the
Doorman your business card or send in a note on a piece of
paper (be sure and indicate who you are and who you
represent).
If you can’t reach your Legislator, find his/her office and leave
a copy of the SHPA advocacy summary found at www.shpail.org.
Organize & Position Your Team
• Consider who on your team will make the most effective
messengers. CEO? Executive Director? Case manager?
Consumer? Resident?
• If your team includes multiple individuals, organize your
parts in advance. Who is making introductions? Who is
taking the lead? Who is best positioned to discuss your
operation and the value of your service in the local
community?
• Limit
your outreach team to a maximum of three
individuals – do not overwhelm the lawmaker.
Your Meeting With Your Lawmaker:
Introduce Yourself & Our Message
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Tell your story – BRIEFLY
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Introduce yourself and your organization, and explain briefly
your place in the community: how long you’ve been active, the
types and number of individuals you serve, any expansion
project you have underway.
Explain the statewide context: we’re working together,
statewide, to preserve and protect supportive housing and
homeless services.
If the lawmaker wishes to manage the conversation, allow the
lawmaker to manage the conversation.
Do not attempt to dominate the conversation. However, whenever
possible, track back to our basic message and priorities.
Share Our Briefing Material
• Share the one-page SHPA advocacy summary
• Tell the Legislator about the Video “Vote
Yes for
Supportive Housing” on the SHPA website at www.shpail.org.
Assess the Lawmaker’s Level of
Knowledge and Interest
• Ask
the lawmaker whether he or she will support
continued, adequate funding for supportive housing and
make note of his/her response.
• Thank the
lawmaker for his/her time, and tell him/her
that you look forward to following up over the course of
the spring legislative session.
Section Five:
Evaluate & Debrief
Evaluate Your Outreach
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Was your outreach successful?
Do your lawmakers more clearly understand the value of
homeless services and supportive housing, the critical need for
supportive housing and homeless services, and the urgency of
providing adequate funds for homeless services and supportive
housing?
Did the lawmakers appear enthusiastic about continued
engagement with the homeless services and supportive
housing community?
Are the lawmakers prepared to support our priority for full
funding in the spring session?
Debrief SHPA
Please report, by email or phone the highlights of your outreach.
Call or e-mail Aaron Eldridge or Mike Bach at SHPA.
Aaron’s contact info: 312-202-0254
[email protected]
Mike’s contact info: 217-528-9814
[email protected]
SHPA tracks outreach to lawmakers on an ongoing basis. We are
constantly evaluating and re-evaluating our outreach strategy.
Your input is critical.
Thank You!
It’s only through the continued focus and outreach of
supportive housing providers and consumers that we will
have our voices heard – and, ultimately, will receive the
state funding necessary to provide critical supportive
housing services.
Please help SHPA stay organized, focused and engaged.
Thank you for your support!