Transcript Policy Advocacy - Formed Families Forward

Policy Advocacy
Navigating the Legislative Process &
Ensuring Your Voice is Heard
A Little About
Voices for Virginia’s Children...
We are:
• Statewide, nonpartisan research & advocacy organization
that champions public policies to improve the lives of
Virginia’s children
• Independent advocates for children, especially those who
are disadvantaged or otherwise vulnerable
• Primarily covering policy areas of: child welfare/foster
care; children’s mental health; and early childhood care &
education
• Voices is also Virginia’s KIDSCount Data Center, part of
the Casey Network, providing state-specific data on a
wide variety of child well-being indicators.
What Is Policy Advocacy &
Why Is It Important?
• Policymakers are influenced by YOU, and rely on
YOU to help them develop expertise.
• Policymakers need to know how laws are put into
practice—the “real world” effect of what they do.
• Civic Engagement means more than just voting.
• Others who don’t have much of a voice in the
process (including kids!) count on the rest of us to
help amplify their message.
Structure of State Government
• Branches of Government
• Administration/Executive Branch
• Legislative: Senate/House of Delegates
• Judicial
• Bills, Resolutions
• Committees
• Commissions
• The Budget Process
• The Regulatory Process
Talking to Legislators
Doing your homework:
• Who are your legislators?
• Use http://virginiageneralassembly.gov
• Find how long in office, full-time profession, region
and demographics of their districts, voting record,
interests, background, etc.
• Develop some questions you might ask them about
their knowledge and interest in your issues.
Talking to Legislators
Some Helpful Hints:
Be positive and nonpartisan
Be personal
Be persistent and patient
Stay on message
Never give inaccurate information/Don’t be
afraid to say “I don’t know, but I’ll find out and
get back to you.”
• Relax
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Talking to Legislators
There are multiple ways to communicate with
policymakers:
• Meeting with them directly when the General
Assembly is not in session
• Meeting with them directly during the legislative
session, on specific bills or budget items
• Telephone calls, letters and emails
• Offering testimony and comment at hearings,
committee meetings, public forums, etc.
How Can You Help Before the
Legislative Session?
Before Your Meeting:
•
Write a letter of introduction.
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Make an appointment.
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Develop an agenda.
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Consider a group visit.
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Bring a fact sheet.
During and After Your Meeting:
•
State your purpose clearly &
simply; stay on topic
•
Make the issue local, and make it
personal
•
Listen, and ask questions about
what more you can do.
•
Leave materials
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Follow-up with a thank-you note.
•
Stay in touch and send updates.
How Can You Help During
the Legislative Session?
What happens, and how you can participate:
• During Budget hearings
• During Committee meetings
• During Floor sessions
• After a bill has passed both houses
• After the Governor signs a bill into law
Talking to the Media
Reporters want to know from you:
• Why are you at this event?
• What specific action are you asking policymakers to
take?
• What is the aspect of your personal experience that
connects you to this event/request?
How to Prepare to
Talk to A Reporter
It’s extremely important to:
• Be brief. Reporters usually don’t have time to speak with
individuals for very long, especially if they are on-site at an
event or hearing.
• Keep it simple. Reporters want to pick up on sound bytes &
easy explanations, and they need to understand your point of
view quickly.
• Practice what you will say. You don’t have to sound
rehearsed—in fact, it’s often better if the flow is more
conversational, but clarity and brevity are critical, and easier to
demonstrate if you’ve gone over your main points ahead of
time.
Talking to the Media:
An Example
“I am here today to help lawmakers understand that we
need more community-based services for children with
mental health disorders. Specifically, they need to fund
crisis response and child psychiatry services across the
state. Here’s why: my 9-year-old daughter is diagnosed
with bipolar disorder. We had to wait 12 weeks to see a
child psychiatrist because the demand is so high. Within 2
weeks of making the appointment, my daughter’s
condition deteriorated and she had to be hospitalized. We
could have avoided that family trauma and the 2 weeks of
missed school if there were better access to mental health
services like child psychiatry and mobile crisis teams in
my community.”
Talking to the Media:
An Example
Q:
Why are you here today?
A:
“I am here today to help lawmakers
understand that we need more
community-based services for
children with mental health
disorders.”
Talking to the Media:
An Example
Q:
What are you asking policymakers/
legislators to do?
A:
“Specifically, they need to fund
crisis response and child psychiatry
services across the state.”
Talking to the Media:
An Example
Q:
What is the aspect of your personal
experience that connects you to this event/
request?
“Here’s why: my 9-year-old daughter is
diagnosed with bipolar disorder. We had to
wait 12 weeks to see a child psychiatrist because
the demand is so high. Within 2 weeks of
making
the appointment, my daughter’s
condition deteriorated and she had to be
hospitalized.”
A:
Talking to the Media:
An Example
Q: What problem will your proposed
actions
solve?
A:
“We could have avoided that family
trauma and the 2 weeks of missed school
if there were better access to mental
health services like child psychiatry and
mobile crisis teams in my community.”
Talking to the Media
Remember:
• Try to speak clearly and not too fast.
• Try to use simple terms, and try to explain “jargon”–
remember that reporters and the general public
might not know terms like “IEP,” etc.
• Use a “crib sheet” loaded with the few main points
you want to make.
• Get the reporter’s card or info, and ask when the
story might appear/air.
Voices for Virginia’s Children:
Our Legislative Agenda
• Child Welfare, Foster Care and
Juvenile Justice
• Children’s Mental Health Care
• Early Childhood Care and Education
Voices for Virginia’s Children:
Our Legislative Agenda
Opportunities to help:
• Share your stories with us
• Follow our work through our
emails & social media networks
• Contact your legislators via email,
phone, letter and/or your
testimony at hearings
Contact Us:
Amy L. Woolard
Senior Policy Attorney
701 E. Franklin St., Suite 807
Richmond, VA 23219
804-649-0184
www.vakids.org
www.facebook.com/VoicesforVAKids
Twitter: @vakids