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“You, Your Experience – Together, Our Voice”
Advocacy 101John Madigan– Senior Director of Public Policy, AFSPTrevor Summerfield – Manager of Public Policy, AFSP
Ad – vo - cateAd – vo - cate1)1) One that pleads the cause of One that pleads the cause of
anotheranother2)2) One that defends or maintains a One that defends or maintains a
cause or proposalcause or proposal3)3) One that promotes or supports the One that promotes or supports the
interests of anotherinterests of another
Nuts and Bolts of Being an AdvocateNuts and Bolts of Being an Advocate
Educate yourselfEducate yourself
Educate the public and other stakeholdersEducate the public and other stakeholders
Educate public officials and their staffEducate public officials and their staff
Research the IssuesResearch the Issues Go to:Go to:
www.spanusa.orgwww.spanusa.org www.sprc.orgwww.sprc.org www.afsp.orgwww.afsp.org
Attend a national AFSP, AAS or SPRC conferenceAttend a national AFSP, AAS or SPRC conference Become and AFSP field advocateBecome and AFSP field advocate Participate in an AFSP webinarParticipate in an AFSP webinar Learn about your state’s suicide prevention plan if one Learn about your state’s suicide prevention plan if one
existsexists Subscribe to newsletters, social networking sites and Subscribe to newsletters, social networking sites and
publicationspublications
Prepare yourself and know the factsPrepare yourself and know the facts Personalize and localize the issues where Personalize and localize the issues where
possible (AFSP state fact sheets provide possible (AFSP state fact sheets provide useful local information)useful local information)
Download and use fact sheets and issue Download and use fact sheets and issue briefs prepared by the AFSP public policy briefs prepared by the AFSP public policy staffstaff
At the federal level consult At the federal level consult websites for AFSP public policy websites for AFSP public policy
prioritiespriorities Examples:Examples:
• Reauthorization of SAMHSA and adequate funding Reauthorization of SAMHSA and adequate funding of Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act programsof Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act programs
• Legislation on veteran and military suicide Legislation on veteran and military suicide preventionprevention
• Adequate funding of NIMH, NIAAA, NIDAAdequate funding of NIMH, NIAAA, NIDA
2011 Federal Policy PrioritiesOn December 1, 2010, the AFSP Board of Directors approved the recommendations from the AFSP Public Policy Council regarding legislative and regulatory priorities to be pursued at the federal and state level in calendar year 2011. AFSP/SPAN USA Public Policy staff will work with AFSP/SPAN USA national volunteers, along with Chapter Field Advocates and AFSP Field staff to attain the following goals and objectives.
The federal-level public policy priorities for calendar year 2011 are:
• Achieve appropriations at the highest attainable level for Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act (GLSMA) programs.
• Maintain veteran and military personnel suicide prevention and education programs as a top priority for Congress, the Administration, DOD and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
• Encourage the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to invest more substantially in research related to suicide prevention and work with Congress to appropriate more dollars in this area.
• Fund the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) with enough money to cover the program in all fifty states.
• Monitor and respond as necessary to the implementation/potential scale back of health care reform laws as they relate to mental health parity and any other issues related to mental or behavioral health.
• Achieve reauthorization of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).• Achieve authorization and funding of Native American youth suicide prevention and education programs at
the highest levels possible.• Achieve authorization and funding of LGBT data collection, support for safe schools and anti-bullying efforts.• Achieve authorization and funding of bridge barrier projects like the Golden Gate Bridge. • Achieve authorization and or funding of bullying and cyber-bullying programs and projects.• Achieve authorization and appropriations for the Depression Centers of Excellence at the highest levels
possible.
2011 State Policy PrioritiesThe state-level public policy priorities and activities for calendar year 2011 for AFSP Chapter volunteers and staff, in consultation with national AFSP Public Policy staff are:
• Review and establish a base line understanding of what current exists in each state relative to:– Statewide suicide prevention plan or initiative. How and why this plan operates in the state.
What improvements/updates/laws need to be made if any?– What state or local requirements are there for training of school personnel on suicide
prevention and education? What needs to be done to improve, update or legislate in this area?
– What are the current state laws or regulations on bullying, including cyber-bullying and electronic harassment? What still needs to be done in this area?
• In addition, each Chapter/state will be asked to evaluate the opportunity for a “Visit to the State Capital Day” as a means to educate the governor and state lawmakers on suicide education and prevention.
Each Chapter/state will be asked to review and verify that AFSP Public Policy office has the latest and most accurate information. Each Chapter/state will assess what fits their situation best. In this case, one size may not fit all. For example, in some states a free-standing separate suicide prevention office may work, in others, a hybrid agency/organization might work best. Each Chapter/state will be encouraged to complete this analysis and action plan in the months of November, December and January, to facilitate activity and programs that will allow for timely implementation of laws and or programs to facilitate suicide prevention and education in a particular state.
At the federal level, access websites like – At the federal level, access websites like – www.senate.govwww.senate.gov
www.house.govwww.house.gov
www.whitehouse.govwww.whitehouse.gov
www.dhha.govwww.dhha.gov
www.samhsa.govwww.samhsa.gov
www.nimh.nih.govwww.nimh.nih.gov
Key Phone Numbers to KnowKey Phone Numbers to Know
White House SwitchboardWhite House Switchboard 202-456-1414202-456-1414
US CapitolUS Capitol SenateSenate
• 202-224-3121202-224-3121 HouseHouse
• 202-225-3121202-225-3121
Google your state government and Google your state government and legislature web sites, e.g.legislature web sites, e.g.
www.alabama.gov and www.alabama.gov and www.legislature.state.al.uswww.legislature.state.al.us
www.illinois.gov and www.illinois.gov and www.ilga.govwww.ilga.gov
www.wv.gov and www.wv.gov and www.legis.state.wv.uswww.legis.state.wv.us
Federal and State Legislative Process – Federal and State Legislative Process – Similarities and differences?Similarities and differences?
At the state level, beyond At the state level, beyond legislative issues -legislative issues -
Plan a Suicide Awareness Event in your Plan a Suicide Awareness Event in your State CapitolState Capitol
Ask the Governor to declare a statewide Ask the Governor to declare a statewide Suicide Prevention WeekSuicide Prevention Week
Form a state commission for suicide Form a state commission for suicide preventionprevention
Federal and State Advocacy - Federal and State Advocacy - RecapRecap
Research your issue – organize your Research your issue – organize your thoughts!thoughts!
Be armed with the facts – Localize and Be armed with the facts – Localize and personalizepersonalize
Federal, state and local suicide Federal, state and local suicide prevention, education and research prevention, education and research resourcesresources
Reach out to Survivors -Reach out to Survivors -
Support groups at Support groups at local hospitals, local hospitals, hospices, places of hospices, places of worship, community worship, community centers and schoolscenters and schools
Try to get Survivors Try to get Survivors interested in the interested in the AFSP Field Advocate AFSP Field Advocate programprogram
Reach out to local media -Reach out to local media -
Establish relationships with local reportersEstablish relationships with local reporters
Write a letter to the Editor or an Op-Ed piece for Write a letter to the Editor or an Op-Ed piece for your local paperyour local paper
Provide dates and times for survivor meetings Provide dates and times for survivor meetings and education classes to mediaand education classes to media
Review AFSP media guidelinesReview AFSP media guidelines
Speak at a city/town Council or School Speak at a city/town Council or School Board meeting, benefits include-Board meeting, benefits include-
Opportunity to speak to a large number of Opportunity to speak to a large number of public officials at oncepublic officials at once
Reach like-minded members of your Reach like-minded members of your communitycommunity
Make contact with local reporters covering Make contact with local reporters covering the meetingthe meeting
Reaching out Locally - RecapReaching out Locally - Recap
Reach out to SurvivorsReach out to Survivors
Local suicide prevention and education Local suicide prevention and education collaboratorscollaborators
Local MediaLocal Media
Other local opportunities to reach outOther local opportunities to reach out
Reaching out to Public OfficialsReaching out to Public Officials You can-You can-
Write, phone or email Members of Congress or other Write, phone or email Members of Congress or other officialsofficials
Make an appointment to meet your public officialsMake an appointment to meet your public officials Work on and distribute nonpartisan analyses and Work on and distribute nonpartisan analyses and
studiesstudies Provide technical assistance and advice to legislative Provide technical assistance and advice to legislative
bodiesbodies Provide testimonyProvide testimony Write letters to the editor, appear on television or Write letters to the editor, appear on television or
radioradio Encourage family, neighbors and friends to be Encourage family, neighbors and friends to be
involvedinvolved
Reaching out to Public OfficialsReaching out to Public Officials
You can not – You can not – Use your non-profit/corporate affiliation to Use your non-profit/corporate affiliation to
endorse or oppose candidatesendorse or oppose candidates
Use your non-profit/corporate affiliation for Use your non-profit/corporate affiliation for any electioneeringany electioneering
When speaking or visiting with a When speaking or visiting with a Public OfficialPublic Official
Be brief – brevity is appreciatedBe brief – brevity is appreciated Explain your personal or professional interest in suicide Explain your personal or professional interest in suicide
prevention issuesprevention issues Know how the issue affects suicide prevention, Know how the issue affects suicide prevention,
education or researcheducation or research Know precisely what you want the public official to doKnow precisely what you want the public official to do Offer to be a resource on suicide prevention issuesOffer to be a resource on suicide prevention issues Leave behind short issue briefs or other informationLeave behind short issue briefs or other information Be cordialBe cordial If you have time, follow up with a thank you noteIf you have time, follow up with a thank you note
When writing or emailing a public officialWhen writing or emailing a public official
Fully state your case, using the same facts Fully state your case, using the same facts you would in a visityou would in a visit
Make clear you expect a prompt responseMake clear you expect a prompt response Be polite and courteous, never threaten or Be polite and courteous, never threaten or
challengechallenge If possible, follow up with a phone call, and If possible, follow up with a phone call, and
say so in your letter or emailsay so in your letter or email
Reaching Out to Public Officials - RecapReaching Out to Public Officials - Recap
Communicating with your elected officials Communicating with your elected officials and their staff – Be brief and to the point!and their staff – Be brief and to the point!
Writing or emailing an elected official – Writing or emailing an elected official – Make your case clearly!Make your case clearly!
Visiting with your elected official – Visiting with your elected official – Remember their staff is important! Remember their staff is important!
Stay in Touch! Become a Resource Stay in Touch! Become a Resource to your Elected Officials!to your Elected Officials!
Making a Difference!Making a Difference!
Thank You!Thank You!
John Madigan, Senior Director of Public PolicyJohn Madigan, Senior Director of Public PolicyTrevor Summerfield, Manager of Public PolicyTrevor Summerfield, Manager of Public Policy
American Foundation for Suicide PreventionAmerican Foundation for Suicide Prevention1010 Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 4081010 Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 408
Washington, DC 20005Washington, DC 20005
[email protected]@[email protected]@afsp.org202-449-3600 phone202-449-3600 phone
202-449-3601 fax202-449-3601 fax