Communication and Advocacy Across Settings Promoting the Role of School Psychology National Association of School Psychologists,

Goals for This Presentation • Expand communications planning and message development skills • Understand key messages important to advocacy for school psychologists • Learn methods for enhancing communications planning with colleagues/staff • Practice communications message development. (Activity) • Learn about NASP communications and advocacy resources.

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Good communication is responsive to emerging situations and the knowledge needs of key audiences.

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Communication: the basics Communication is … • transmitting • exchanging • sharing • conveying ...knowledge, information, feelings, or a specific message.

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Advocacy: the basics Advocacy is … • to plead • to defend • to support • to summon ...a cause or a proposal.

The act or process of advocating is advocacy. 5

NASP Communications Priorities • Resilience: Building Strength for Life • School-based mental health • RTI (academic and behavior) • Prevention and Responsiveness (anticipating/recognizing need and acting on it) • Professional standards and participation 6

Communications Opportunities • Focus on improved outcomes and accountability ( SPs grounded in evidence-based practice and evaluation ) • Softening of lines between special education and general educations ( More audiences may interact with SP services ) 7

Communications Opportunities • New assessment options (RTI) under IDEA 2004 ( SPs can help shape process/ decisions) • Reauthorization of NCLB and potential to improve links with IDEA ( intervening services, school-based mental health services) RTI, PBIS, early 8

Failure to communicate can result in negative outcomes and missed opportunities.

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We

need to make the case for our services. No one else will do it for us.

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Risks to a “Stealth” Profession • Lopsided emphasis on curriculum/ testing (RTI not applied to behavior; academics and behavior not linked • Reduced or stagnant level of SP positions (Community providers/other school employees serve SP functions) • Ineffective use of SP skills and training • Increased job frustration/stress • Negative impact on individual students 11

Effective Communication Planning and Implementation 12

Three Types of Strategic Communications

• “Calling Card” • “Action Request” • “Crisis Management”

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Or …. in Audience-Friendly Terms:

Crisis Management Action Request Intensive Targeted Calling Card Universal

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Most strategic communications involve “Calling Card” and “Action Request” processes but should anticipate crisis communications needs.

“Calling Card” Goals • Increase your visibility • Raise awareness and comfort level on an issue • Get more involved • Improve collaboration • Disseminate useful information • Create environment for stakeholder “buy-in” • Change behavior 16

“Calling Card” Goals: Value of School Psychologists • Educate stakeholders on – broad role of school psychologists – the need for school psychological services – the positive impact that these services have on the mission and purpose of schools – Limitations to performing this role as intended (large case loads, shortages, lack of understanding about the role, etc.) 17

“Calling Card” Goals: Value of School Psychologists • Raise awareness among key stakeholders of how your skills support positive academic outcomes for students • Emphasize your extensive training and availability as a “specialist” in schools • Focus on our desire to collaborate with others for the benefit of students 18

“Calling Card” Tactics • Provide helpful information (on a relevant topic and SP services) • Newsletter articles (parents, teachers) • “Good to Know” communications with policymakers, administrators (provide data) • Parent handouts • Info for website • In-service training • Brown-bag discussions (teachers, parents) 19

“Action Request” Goals • Increased funding • Support for expanded programming (school MH services, RTI, etc.) • Improved professional to student ratios • Improved collaboration and coordination of services • Stakeholder “buy-in” • Specific requests for changes in role, duties, responsibilities, etc.

• Building bridges between general and special education 20

“Action Request” Tactics • Meetings with decision makers • School board/legislature presentations • Conduct school-wide assessment (provide data) • Coalition/relationship building with allied professionals • Multi-pronged outreach with integrated message • In-service training • Media outreach 21

“Crisis Management” Goals • Legislative crisis (change in Medicaid rules excluding SPs from billing) • Dissention among allied professions (APA Model Licensure Act revision) • Public relations crisis (bad press coverage, editorial).

• Crisis involving school or district (school shooting, suicide, etc.).

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“Crisis Management” Tactics • Coordinated/integrated part of response effort • Rapid (but thoughtful) response.

• Direct regular communications with “home base” • Designated spokesperson (appropriate level) • Media (proactive, provide experts, materials, Op-Eds) 23

Communications Planning Process

Planning Process • Assess situation • Identify target audiences • Craft messages • Select strategies/Implementation • Evaluation/follow-up 25

Planning Process

Assess Situation Identify Target Audiences Craft Messages Effective Communications Planning Select Strategies/ Implementation Evaluation/Follow-up Stakeholder Buy-In Desired Improved Outcomes

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Assess Situation • How are school psychologists currently utilized in your district?

• Which stakeholder groups know what you do and appreciate it?

• What is a reasonable objective?

• What are potential opportunities for change/improvement?

• What are the obstacles?

• What is your timeframe?

• What are your available resources?

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Define Your Objective • Build support for specific policy/ resource needs • Raise awareness of your role/value to students/adults • Raise awareness of a specific issue • Increase your involvement/effectiveness on an issue • Encourage others to act 28

Possible Opportunities • Pending legislation • Collaboration activities with allies (i.e., Senate briefing) • Budget process • Issue confronting district/state • Media coverage • Release of research/reports • Grants/research 29

Possible Obstacles • Misperceptions of decision makers • Tight funding • Competing interests • Strong opposition • Complex issue 30

Identify Target Audiences • Decision makers (administrators, school-boards, legislators) • Consumers (parents, students, teachers, administrators) • • • Potential partners (school-mental health professionals, instruction support staff) Who are your allies? Who are your opponents?

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Know Audience(s)’ • Level of knowledge/awareness • Primary concerns/expectations • Perspective • Possible barriers to understanding • Ability/likelihood to take action 32

Know Opponent(s)’ • Objectives • Primary concerns/expectations • Perspective • Barriers to understanding • Allies • Resources • Level of determination 33

Research Can Be Useful • Focus groups • Individual interviews • Survey (not great for message development) • Talk to people outside your perspective 34

Message Development 35

Effective Message Structure • Problem statement • Action/solution • Benefits

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Or, In Audience-Friendly Terms

Problem Benefit Effective Message Structure Action

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Define Problem • Student behaviors/issues (disruptive behavior, high rate of absenteeism) • Effects/outcomes (lower test scores, low morale) • Causes (poor school climate, poor adult/student connection, factious student body) • Reasons (no coordinated student outreach, no mental health/behavioral supports) 38

Be Relevant • Understand the context.

• Highlight an important issue (reading, bullying, testing, suicide).

• Link objective to stakeholder priorities.

• Articulate impact on student/school (link to outcomes).

• Explain what audience can do.

• Describe benefits.

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Resonate • Appeal to experience as well as intellect • Use “social math,” not just statistics • Invoke visual images/analogies, not just explanations • Tell stories, not just facts • Put a “face” on issue; invited impacted people to share their stories 40

Get to the Real Point • Why do people care?

• What is in it for them?

• What role do they play?

• • How does the solution meet their needs?

This may vary between audiences.

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Statistics Versus ...

Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Percentage of students responding regarding behavior during 12 months preceding survey: YRBSS Middle School 2003* Survey 2003** 1. Seriously considered attempting suicide 2. Made a specific plan 3. Made an attempt 16.9

16.5 8.5

20.6

13.4

9.7

4. Made an attempt requiring medical attention 2.9

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Lieberman, Poland & Cassel, In Press

… “Social Math” • For every 100-200 youth that attempt suicide, one child succeeds.

• For every three youths who attempt suicide, one goes to the hospital and two go to school.

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Lieberman, Poland & Cassel, In Press

Definitions Versus … “Population-based services meet the mental health needs of all children by promoting positive mental health attributes and preventing/identifying mental health problems.” 44 Adapted from Doll & Cummings, In Press

… Analogies and Images The wise forester maintains the vitality of the whole forest and, in so doing, is able to recognize and respond to the needs of individual trees at risk. 45

Adapted from Doll & Cummings, In Press

Facts Versus ...

Children who are bullied or ostracized can suffer serious emotional and academic difficulties.

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… Personal Stories “ Consider the young man who asked me a couple of years ago, “Do you know what it is like to feel that you are hated by everyone the first day you enter kindergarten?” This young man had composed a journal filled with his personal reflections on life. It was a dark and sad reflection. The last page contained one phrase, written repeatedly until it filled that page; “I decide who lives and who dies.” However, there is good news with this young man. Through significant emotional support and alternative strategies for education, he was able to graduate last year. He hugged me on graduation day, thanking me for believing in him. He told me that his greatest joy was not in graduating, but in the fact that his mother hugged him, telling him how proud she felt.” --John Kelly, U.S. Senate Briefing Testimony, 2006

Be Concise/Clear • Use audience appropriate language.

• Avoid acronyms/technical language.

• Use active tense.

• Use bullets to the extent possible.

• Ask colleague(s) to review.

• Proof read your work (or ask someone else to)!

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Recipe for Success • Step 1: Pick your main message. State it at the outset.

– Example: “School psychologists help lower barriers to learning and promote children’s success in school and life.” • Step 2: Back it up with 2-3 key messages and how the issue creates a barrier to learning. • Step 3: Provide personal examples to put a “face on the message”.

• Step 4: Offer specific “solution” suggestions.

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• Key Messages-Mental Health • Mental health matters.

– Good mental health is essential to success in school and life. – Schools are a natural place to meet children’s mental health needs. – Children who receive mental health support are happier and do better in school.

– School-based mental health services are a wise investment.

School psychologists provide a continuum of mental health services in school.

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Media Outreach 51

Media Outreach Options • Submit brief articles/columns to local paper (helpful information for readers) • Submit letters-to-the-editor or op-eds (articulating a position) • Offer to be a media spokesperson/“local expert” • Clear media activities with your supervisor/district communications office 52

Writing for the Media • Press releases: What, who, why, where (sometimes when); be brief, use quotes • Columns: Concise, bulleted, clear useful information • Letters-to-the-Editor: 150-250 words; response something in paper; very targeted message • Op-eds: 350-800 words; relevance, clarity, brevity, voice, opinion; read for style • Follow-up 53

Speaking as an “Expert” • Plan what you are going to say • Practice your main messages (no more than three) • Stay on message • Don’t hesitate to repeat important points • Research/know your facts • Avoid controversial local issues unless you have direction from communications office 54

Speaking as an “Expert” • Focus on “best practice” comments • Feel free to say “I do not know” • Avoid commenting on the specifics of issues w/which you are not involved • Redirect questions about specifics to general practice knowledge • “I am not familiar with the specifics of this case but generally adolescents…” 55

Imagine everything you say will appear on the front page of

The New York Times

(and that your mother, kids and boss will read it)!

Effective communications supports effective advocacy 57

School Psychology Awareness Week • Opportunity to highlight the profession, your role, value of services • Focus on recognizing colleagues who build resilience in students • Downloadable certificates, e-postcards, and NASP note cards available online • Adaptable topical resources online • Poster and bookmarks 58

This slide presentation may be adapted by the user to reflect specifics in your district/schools. Content or “best practice” information may not be changed without approval from NASP. The NASP logo and any specific author credits must remain. State and local school psychology associations may add their logo and contact information to the presentation. This slide may be removed before giving a presentation.

©2007, National Association of School Psychologists, 4340 East West Highway, Suite 402, Bethesda, MD, 20814, (301) 657-0270 www.nasponline.org