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Health Policy and Advocacy Workshop
Gabrielle Orbaek WhiteState Advocacy Manager, Community Catalyst Alliance for Children’s Health
Healthcare Access and Financing Workgroup MeetingThursday, April 9, 2015
1. Introductions & Desired Outcomes
2. Overview of CC approach to advocacy
3. Health Policy and Advocacy Strategies
4. Pitch exercise
Road Map: Where are we going….
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1. Name, state, organization, role
2. One thing you hope to learn from the
training today
Introduction
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By the end of this training, you will:
• Feel more confident about approaching decision makers about policy issues that matter to you.
• Understand how to target relevant decision makers.
• Understand how to craft an impactful argument.
• Understand the Community Catalyst system of advocacy model and how it can lead to policy change
Desired Outcomes
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• National non-profit health advocacy organization, building and supporting consumer advocacy networks in over 40 states
• Work to ensure access to high-quality, affordable health care
• Collaborate with national, state and local consumer organizations, policymakers, and foundations
Community Catalyst
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What is Advocacy?
Advocacy is the application of pressure and influence on the
people and institutions that have the power to
give you what you want.
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What is Advocacy?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGig6yDRv2Y
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Our Approach
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What is Advocacy?
Advocacy is the application of pressure and influence on the
people and institutions that have the power to
give you what you want.
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Developing a Goal
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5 Key Questions:• What do you want?• Why do you want it?• Who has the power to
give it to you?• What motivates that
person?• How do you build
credibility with and get access to those people in order to influence their decision making?
Research and Data Collection
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If you would persuade, you must appeal to interest rather than intellect.
-Benjamin Franklin
Research and Data Collection
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Research and Data Collection
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Research and Data Collection
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Decision-Maker Advocacy
What makes your key decision-maker tick?
Decision-Maker Advocacy
Development & Passage of Bills• Legislators author bills, but constituents can contact
their members with bills• Start advocating early in the session for your bill• A proposed bill needs to:
– Define terms & mechanisms for action (what does it do & who does it)
– Give a calendar & deadlines
– Outline what happens if the law is broken (enforcement/accountability)
• Once a bill is passed, responsible agency develops regulation regarding implementation
• Money to fund a program can either be mandatory or discretionary
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Decision-Maker Advocacy
In person visits – tips and tricks• Make an appointment (and be on time!)• Plan who will do the talking • Come with an ‘ask’• Bring a ‘leave behind’• Dress professionally• Exchange contact information• Follow up
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Our Approach
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Decision-Maker Advocacy
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What is a Coalition?
• A group of individuals or organizations with a common interest who are working together toward a common goal
• They are made up of organizations that:• share a common mission.
• share a common vision
• embrace your tactics and strategies as a means
for fulfilling their own mission and vision
Building and Sustaining Coalitions
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Inner circle
Invested friends
Self interested parties
Opportunistic recruits
Coalition Benefits
• Shared roles and
resources
• Collective impact
• Power and influence
• Clout and credibility
Building and Sustaining Coalitions
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Coalition Challenges
• Multiple personalities
• Complications w/sharing
resources
• Competing agendas
• Messy consensus
building
Strategic Partners and Allies
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Potential Partners:
1. Organizations that can influence elections
2. Decision-maker champions
3. State and local government agencies
4. Organizations that DO NOT lobby
5. Organizations that DO lobby
Building a Strong Grassroots Base of Support
• Grassroots organizing engages those who are most impacted by health system breakdown.
• Used to build base of popular support and ‘groundswell’
• Helps put a human face on the need for better health care systems
• Can influence decision-makers in key districts
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Media Advocacy
Tools & strategies for effective media advocacy and communications
– Press releases, editorial board visits, media advisories, letters to the editor, and so on
– Social media
– Key message points
– Relationships with key media
– Credible spokespersons for key topics
Media Advocacy
Medicaid Stories in the Media
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The power of stories
Medicaid Stories in the Media
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The power of stories
The Elevator Pitch
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Writing your pitch
Your goals:
• Make your audience curious - you want them to leave wondering what they could do for you and what more they could learn about your cause.
• Get your audience to discuss your pitch with others.
• Have an opportunity to revisit the audience members to firm up investment of time, talent and money.
Writing your pitch
1. Think short
2. If your topic is complex, use the “anchor &
twist” format to orient your audience.
3. Don't wing it, script it.
4. 'Why' comes before 'What.'
5. Mandatory: Include a story.
6. Check out other pitches for inspiration.
7. Know what you want and include an ask.
8. Tell "who."
9. Use questions as well as statements.
10. Delivery matters.
QUESTIONS?
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Thank You
Connect with me:Gabrielle Orbaek [email protected]
Connect with Community Catalyst online:Twitter.com/healthpolicyhubFacebook.com/CommunityCatalystwww.communitycatalyst.org
Strategic Partners and Allies
1. Organizations that can influence elections • Build strategic alliances with other stakeholders• Make issue more relevant to candidates • Educate voters
2. Decision maker champions• Support for issues that matter to you and your constituents• Leverage their public profile• Infuse policy change goal with legitimacy
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Strategic Partners and Allies
3. Government Agencies provide:• Political cover/support• Policy change initiatives w/data• Leadership within state gov’t
4. Organizations that do NOT lobby provide:• “Boots on the ground”• Identify and promote personal stories
5. Organizations that do lobby:• Advocacy assistance• Manage relationships w/ decision-makers
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