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 Updated: 12/8/2004 |
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Texas Academy of Physician Assistants
ADVOCACY TRAINING OUTLINE
Overview
Many of us are uncertain and at least extremely doubtful that any personal effort of ours can make a difference in the political landscape. Politics is often characterized as partisan squabbling and back room dealing and the media does little to enhance or improve that image by focusing mostly on controversy rather than cooperation. The truth and genuine reality is that the vast majority of folks in politics are doing it because they believe they can help improve this untamed thing we call civilized society.
Most every elected official's office welcomes the opportunity to meet and hear from constituents. Your relationship with your legislator can make a critical difference in how issues important to you are viewed by lawmakers.
I. How political advocacy works
A. Advocacy in action is when regular people from a
legislator's home district deliver a specific message of
importance and concern regarding a specific issue
combined with a specific request for action pertaining
to that issue.
B. Advocates provide a window for lawmakers to see
how proposed legislation could impact their district.
C. Every legislative session is an opportunity to
strengthen relationships, deepen understanding and
broaden support for your organizations issues.
II. How legislative offices operate.
Each legislator hires staff members to help them process the vast amount of information on the wide variety of issues they must deal with each session. These staffers usually have a background or special interest in the area they handle for the legislator. It is generally the health policy staff member, and sometimes the Chief of Staff, who hears the position statements and arguments on health care issues since such issues are important to all constituents. They then provide a distilled review of the issue to the legislator. The health policy staff member is an important person. It is they that craft the position the legislator will subsequently take on the issue. At times, the legislator may want to hear about your position in person. This is usually done at subsequent meetings as committee's take up each issue during the session.
III. How should I dress?
Dress nicely and professionally. Although legislative staffers may be dressed more casually than you, the Legislature is a grand old formal institution. Dressing conservatively is a matter of respect and allows legislative staffers to focus on your issue and not on just you.
IV. What do I say?
A. Make the health policy staff member's job easy by
being concise and provide a written factual paper that
illustrates your position and request.
B. You will be provided the TAPA Legislative Packet 2003
and the TAPA Legislative Talking Points 2003
document. These will provide you with the essential
materials and thoughts you need to convey.
C. Introduce yourself and hand the staff member the
TAPA Legislative Packet 2003.
D. Follow the TAPA Legislative Talking Points 2003
document as you explain the issue.
E. Conclude your presentation with a personal story of
how this will improve 1) access to care and 2) the
quality of care in your practice.
V. Dissection of a legislative meeting
Before the meeting
A. Arrive about ten minutes before the meeting.
B. Review the Talking Points and have a Legislative
Packet ready.
C. Determine who will begin the meeting and who will
conclude the meeting.
Introductions
A. Everybody should briefly introduce themselves and
state where they are from.
B. Underscore that you represent TAPA.
State your issue(s)
A. Our primary issue - delegated scheduled drug
authority.
B. Other issues we support
1. Prompt Pay.
2. Standardized credentialing.
3. Trauma care funding.
4. Medicaid reimbursement issues.
Stay on message!
A. Stick with the message outlined in the Talking
Points. To have the desired effect, it is essential
that each office hear the same message
B. It's fine to enhance a statement with a tiny bit of
personal information but don't wander and loose
sight of the talking points you're there to deliver.
The request
A. Make a clear request for support.
B. Ask for a commitment and then listen carefully to
the reply.
C. Staffers generally can't commit one way or the
other, but listen for sympathetic comments and try
to get a general feel where they stand on the
issues.
The Thank You
A. Remember to thank them for their time and
commitment to Texas' health care.
B. Ask for their business card.
C. Remind them that they can get further information
and help on health care issues from the TAPA
Legislative Affairs Committee.
After the meeting
A. Stop a minute and review how the meeting went.
B. No two meetings go the same but check to see if
you got the important talking points across.
C. If you didn't get a special point across, follow up
later with e-mail to the staff member. Make the
point(s) in your e-mail and again thank them for
their time in meeting with you.
VI. Where things can go wrong
Don't go off message.
A. The power of advocacy lies in lots of people saying
the same thing with one voice to the legislature.
B. Try not to overstate your position. Be factual
Be respectful.
A. If your meeting fails to happen due to an
unforeseen conflict, it's alright.
B. Legislative staffers have huge amounts of work and
loads of meetings to juggle. Unanticipated
schedule conflicts do occur.
C. Reschedule the meeting or advise that TAPA-LAC
members will follow up with them later.
Don't be argumentative or confrontational.
A. Advocacy and philosophical debate are inherently
and fundamentally different from confrontation and
willful argument.
B. Engaging in excessive praise or scorn distracts
from the issue your presenting.
C. Not everybody has the same value system and it is
imprudent to try to change a legislative staff's basic
understanding of an issue in these meetings if it
fundamentally off the mark. It is better to leave
these types to experienced advocacy persons to
deal with.
It's not just a one-time thing.
A. This should not be viewed as a one-time meeting.
B. You're not just having a simple meeting, you're
beginning a relationship with your legislator.
Don't forget to follow up.
A. Your meeting might as well have never happened if
they don't ever hear from you again.
B. Follow-up the meeting by going by the home district
office and introducing yourself.
C. Offer yourself as a resource on health care and tell
them you would be pleased to help them
understand health care issues.
Now your set. This can be a lot of fun. Meeting legislators and their staff and lobbying for your interests can be an interesting learning experience. Don't take yourself too seriously and become nervous. Be yourself. Enjoy the experience and let these people know that Texas physician assistants are very interested in access to quality essential health care for Texas.
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ADVOCACY TRAINING OUTLINE
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Advocacy Training 