Getting Ready For School Health Day at the Capitol Alice Ricks & Salina Mendoza California School Health Centers Association

Objectives 1. Identify our goals for School Health Day. 2. Distinguish between advocacy and lobbying, and describe the advocacy and lobbying aspects of School Health Day. 3. Internalize and begin to personalize the message and ask for School Health Day. 4. Understand School Health Day logistics. 5. Share next steps for getting ready!

Why School Health Day at the Capitol Educate legislators about importance of school health services in improving student health and academic outcomes. Demonstrate value of school health services in legislators’ districts, as well as strength of school health movement. Explain to legislators how they can support and sustain school health services. Hear what legislators think about all this!

Why School Health Day at the Capitol Past Successes! countless legislative visits dozens of site visits youth advocates in action

Advocacy vs. Lobbying AdvocacyLobbying educating the publicurging the public to ask legislators to take a specific position on a specific bill organizing the publicasking a legislator to take a specific position on a specific bill holding a rally getting to know legislators educating legislators, including at public hearings conducting research and sharing your findings

Advocacy & Lobbying School Health Day at the Capitol Lots of Advocacy… –explaining school health services –describing their benefits –sharing your success stories –sharing your challenges –talking, generally, about what legislators can do A Little Bit of Lobbying… –urging positions on bills –providing handouts urging positions on bills

Why School Health Day at the Capitol Questions?

The Message School Health Day at the Capitol Health Impacts Learning. School Health Works.

The Ask School Health Day at the Capitol Support the Health Care Safety Net –maintain FQHC reimbursement rates –protect Medi-Cal, Healthy Families Support Schools –maximize K-12 funding –vote for AJR 24, in support of the federal student-school nurse ratio act

The Ask School Health Day at the Capitol Advance School Health through HCR –integrate school health services into patient-centered medical home model –define school-based health centers as essential community providers –include schools and school-based health centers in the Navigator program for outreach/enrollment

Legislative Visit Guidelines School Health Day at the Capitol Open and Tell a Story Explain School Health Services Share More Information (district profile) Ask for Support and Close

The Message Questions? Ideas? What Will You Say?

Logistics School Health Day at the Capitol Teams and Assignments Morning Preparation Visits to Offices Lunch and Wrap-Up

Teams and Assignments Addresses + Team Size + Team Diversity + Legislator Availability = Crazy Spreadsheet + Complex Logic Problem + Dozens of Advocacy Teams + Hundreds of Voices for Student Health

Morning Preparation Holiday Inn Capitol Plaza 8:00 arrive, register, get breakfast 8:30 get to know your team 8:40 hear policy updates, tips for advocacy, and SSPI Torlakson 9:40 prepare with your team 10:20 make your way to the Capitol 11:00 visits start (staggered schedule)

Visits to Offices One Visit (plus optional packet drop-offs) Scheduled between 11am and 2pm Legislator or Staffer Map of the Capitol

Lunch and Wrap-Up Share your Experience and Celebrate Capitol Cafeteria –basement of old building –reserved room for School Health Day –open 11am – 2pm –$10 lunch coupon Evaluation Forms and Feedback Forms

Logistics Questions?

Next Steps Practice explaining what you do… Come up with your stories… Practice telling them to your friends… Get excited to speak up at the Capitol…

Concluding Thoughts Reflections? Tips?