Advocacy Strategies for Public Health Interventions · Caffeinate and Advocate Family Advocacy Day Voter Registration & Education . 3. Structure of Government 4. Elected Officials

Advocacy Strategies for Public Health Interventions

November 12, 2019

Jamie Gaynes, MPH, Manager of State Government Relations

Boston Children’s Hospital

Agenda

• Overview of the Office of Government Relations

• Review of Advocacy Basics

• The Massachusetts Legislative Process

• Ladder of Engagement

• Sharing Your Story

• Holding an Advocacy Meeting

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Boston Children's Hospital:Mission and Values

• CARE: Provide the highest quality health care

• RESEARCH: Be the leading source of research and discovery

• TEACHING: Educate the next generation of leaders in child health

• COMMUNITY: Enhance the health and well-being of the children and families in our local community

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We ADVOCATE until every child is well.

Office of Government Relations (OGR) works with policy decision-makers at the local, state, and national levels to uphold the hospital’s mission of providing

exceptional clinical care, research, and training for pediatric providers.

We help lift up the family voice.

YOU are the expert on YOU and your family. We help facilitate opportunities for the family voice be heard.

What does the Office of Government Relations do?

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Advocacy Opportunities

State House Breakfast SHARE Event Testifying at the State House

Caffeinate and Advocate Family Advocacy Day Voter Registration & Education

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Structure of Government

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Elected Officials Work for You!

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…and we all work together!

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How many bills are filed each year in Massachusetts?

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2,000

8,000 15,000

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Advocacy Ladder of Engagement

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Advocacy Ladder of Engagement

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Importance of the Advocate Voice

Advocates have a distinctive role in advocacy and their voices key in improving systems and making change.

• You knows your issue and angle best.

• What makes your unique perspective unique? How does the system impact your everyday experience.

• Advocates stories personalize the issues to their audience

• Professionals and policymakers are not experts on all subjects and need to hear from advocates, youth and families in order to create real systems change.

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Sharing Your Story Stories help elected officials do their job. Elected officials want to hear from their

constituents so that they know how their decisions impact real people.

Storytelling Tips:

– Choose one story to tell

– Focus on the personal aspects of your story, but don’t forget the data

– Connect your individual story to your larger message

– Take a deep breath

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Share What You See: Story Banking

• Jot stories down as they happen

• It’s okay to use the stories of interaction with others

• Humanize a policy issue

• Depoliticize content

• Teach others what they may not see on a day to day basis

• Open doors

What makes telling your story so powerful?

Connecting people

together to make change

Raising awareness to

influence public opinion

and policy

Revealing the impact of

policies on our daily lives

Story Banking Outline

• What’s the problem

• Why does the problem exist?

• Who is impacted? (Student/family/community)

• Any vivid details you remember surrounding the

scenario/interaction

• Outcome of the problem for the patient/provider

• Impact of the solution (if any)

Calling For Change – Student Activity– Look up: your legislators phone

number

– Prepare: your script for issue of interest to you

– Role Play with a Partner: role play calling legislators asking to sign on or thank them for doing so already

– Calling: As a homework assignment have them put their practice into action!

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How to Hold an Advocacy Meeting• Lay the ground work: Introductions and knowledge checks

– How familiar are you with this issue?

• State your “ask” up front– I am here to ask you to X

• Present an overview of the issue with key facts (head)– JUUL is highly addictive. The concentration of nicotine in JUUL is more

than twice the amount found in other e-cigarettes. These high amounts are a serious concern for youth, who are already more likely than adults to become addicted to nicotine.

• Tell you story (heart)

• Take Questions– Don’t know the answer? No problem. Tell them you will follow up

• Ask again• Thank you

– Thank them for their time and consideration, and tell them you will be in contact with them within the next couple of weeks.

Remember… Advocacy Work!

• Do what you can, where you are, with what you have. - Theodore Roosevelt

• No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world. - Robin Williams

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Thank You!

• Email: [email protected]

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