GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY 101 What you need to know to speak up for the health of your community! Alex Harris, MSPH Grassroots Advocacy Manager for Special Populations, NACHC

AGENDA 1.What is advocacy and why is it important? 2.What are some ways to begin building a culture of advocacy at your organization? 3.What are some rules to keep in mind regarding advocacy? 4.What are some steps to create an action plan?

Expressing your voice in support of a cause or mission, such as the Health Center mission, by spreading the word and taking action. ADVOCACY IS... The World Health Organization (WHO, 1995) describes advocacy for health as a ‘combination of individual and social actions designed to gain political commitment, policy support, social acceptance and systems support for a particular health goal or programme’

WHY IS ADVOCACY IMPORTANT?

GOVERNMENT DECISIONS IMPACT HEALTH CENTERS DIRECTLY.

THEY ALSO IMPACT NON-PROFITS AS A WHOLE.

... AND THOSE DECISIONS HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON THE PEOPLE WE SERVE...

... AND ON THE ECONOMY!

ADVOCACY CAN HELP ADDRESS SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH.

AND ADVOCACY IS GOOD FOR OUR HEALTH! Telling your story is healthy and empowering! –Good for confidence and self- esteem –Good for sense of control over life –One study found that that when a group listened to others’ stories they better controlled their high blood pressure than another group taking extra medication. The actual things that happen to you may have less of an impact on your mental health than the things you tell yourself about them.

YOUR VOICE HAS A DIRECT IMPACT. Advocates Patients Federal Health Center funding

Our success (and our future) depends on the strength of our advocacy. ADVOCACY REQUIRES LARGE NUMBERS OF MOTIVATED INDIVIDUALS

WHAT ARE SOME STRATEGIES FOR EFFECTIVE GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY?

1. YOU HAVE TO STAY INFORMED... Facebook. com/cfahc #FQHC

..., 2. TAKE ACTION,... Share something on Facebook or Twitter Sign a petition your Members of Congress Call your Members of Congress Participate in an event, meet your Members of Congress in person

... AND 3. SPREAD THE WORD!

CREATE A CULTURE OF ADVOCACY AT YOUR HEALTH CENTER!

STEPS TO CREATE A CULTURE OF ADVOCACY Ask leadership to make the commitment Decide on your goals (and your potential challenges) Decide in a plan of action. Think about... Create a space for comments and suggestions from the community How to spread the word How people can make the commitment to be an advocate How to involve the more motivated advocates

ASK LEADERSHIP TO MAKE THE COMMITMENT Advocacy Coordinator Designate a staff person to be the “Advocacy Coordinator” at your health center –We have a description & designation form on saveourchcs.org Work with him/her to create a proposal Create an internal team Board Ask the Board to pass a resolution –Sample language on saveourchcs.org Create a sub-committee on the Board –Sample by-laws on saveourchcs.org

DECIDE ON GOALS Who do you want to engage? –Board, staff & patients What issues will you engage on? –Federal, state, and local Create some reasonable, quantifiable goals!

CREATE A PLAN OF ACTION & EXECUTE How to spread the word –For staff: staff orientation, staff meetings, fliers in the bathroom, s? –For patients: train front desk staff or CHWs, put fliers in the waiting rooms, How people can make the commitment to be an advocate –Signup for CFAHC s, join telephone tree How to involve the more motivated advocates –Storytelling, visits with legislators

IS IT OKAY TO DO ADVOCACY AT MY NON-PROFIT?

YES! Health Centers and non-profits can and should do advocacy.

ADVOCACY IS DIFFERENT FROM LOBBYING Talking to legislators or the community about important issues. Unlimited! Asking legislators or the community to support a specific bill. <5% of the total budget ADVOCACY LOBBYING

DON’T BE PARTISAN! You have to be impartial to political parties because... It’s the law AND it makes sense. Support from both parties is a good position to be in.

Low RiskSome RiskHigh Risk IS THE ACTIVITY NONPARTISAN?

ADVOCACY RESULTS IN POWER Power ISN’T the number of Advocates we have on a list, and it ISN’T the number of victories we win. Power should be mesasured by our ability to continually grow and make it impossible that any other group would want to or even could take us on.

Alex Harris Grassroots Advocacy Manager for Special Populations National Association of Community Health Centers Thank you! Scan me to add me to your contacts.