ADVOCACY 201

AIRS Conference Bob Blancato May 24, 2010

Welcome

• Welcome to Advocacy 201 • Named in recognition of those who attended last year’s session-Advocacy 101 • Session will cover some of the basics and also add some enhancements and possibly a role play example if time allows.

Advocacy vs. Lobbying

• Come as public policy consultant to AIRS for the past several years and with that comes advocacy.

• Distinguish between advocacy and lobbying as a starting point • Direct lobbying involves communication with a legislator that expresses a view about specific legislation. Communication meaning a call, letter, email, fax or other method.

• Legislator-directly or with his/her staff or executive branch staff working on implementing legislation/initiative.

• Expresses view about specific legislation pretty self explanatory

Public Policy and Advocacy

• Public policy and advocacy take real commitment at all levels.

• AIRS is fortunate to have a strong membership base and affiliate structure to aid in advocacy.

• An advocacy and public policy plan has to be adaptable to changing times and issues.

• Deficit reduction as an example.

Advocacy and 211

• Advocacy is about having good information, being reliable, constant, realistic, always building relationships and working to become a resource.

• We apply our advocacy work on different issues in unique ways.

• Leading with 211-multi-pronged

Advocacy and 211 cont…

• At the National level there has been constant communication with co-sponsors including visits, emails that include a local angle with local 2-1-1 data.

• Work in collaboration with United Way and 211 US.

• Affiliate Councils • Results this year in terms of building support has been great.

• Moving the bill, not as great as of yet.

H.Res.187

• Expressing support for the designation of May 7 as National Information and Referral Services Day. • If 211 legislation were to move, the resolution could possibly be offered as an amendment to the bill in the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Other Issues

• Taxonomy-working on this with NASUA nationally. Sent letter to CMS. http://www.airs.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid= 3380#AIRS_211_LA_COUNTY_TAXONOMY_O F_HUMAN_SERVICES • FY 2011 Appropriation Funding for Title IIIB of the OAA (funds for I&R.) Sent a letter of support to the Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee urging a funding increase for IIIB

• AIRS is involved in the OAA 2011 Reauthorization Process. • Bob Blancato testified at an Administration on Aging listening session in February 2010. Asked for better coordination and integration of I&R and services in reauthorization language. Please email [email protected]

for the full statement.

Other Items

• FCC and Broadband • 911 Legislation • FEMA and Disaster Legislation

Health Care Reform Bill

• Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)-AIRS could possibly play a role in implementation.

• Elder Justice Act • Extension of ADRCs

Relationship Building

• We urge you to become involved with AIRS public policy and advocacy. Please visit our public policy page at http://www.airs.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?p

ageid=3380 or email [email protected]

.

• All politics are local.

Role Play Exercise

• Volunteers?

• Capitol Hill Staff Member and “YOU” an Advocate!