1. for Advocacy: Contacting Your Policymaker
NAMI Smarts
for Advocacy: Contacting Your Policymaker
Module Two NAMI Smarts for Advocacy
Rev June 2014
© NAMI, Inc. 2013

2. Ground Rules Participate fully Help keep us on time
To help everyone get the most out of this training, we ask you to agree to the following:
Participate fully
Help keep us on time
Turn off cell phones 2

3. Agenda
 Note: This training builds on skills from NAMI Smarts: Telling Your Story
Importance of s and phone calls
Tips for s and phone calls
Listen to examples
What makes an “work”
Practice writing and sharing your
Listen to phone call demos
What makes a phone call “work”
Practice making a phone call 3

4. Why write emails and make phone calls?:
Because every American who experiences mental illness deserves the opportunity for recovery 4

5. Yet, mental illness is a leading cause of disability in our country:
Yet, mental illness is a leading cause of disability in our country 5

6. :
Half of children and nearly two-thirds of adults who require mental health services aren’t getting the help they need 6

7. It’s time to change the statistics7

8. Emails and phone calls make an impact
You can help...
s and phone calls make an impact 8

9. But, some emails and phone calls make more impact than others9

10. We’ll start with some tips…
Numbers count 10

11. :
Tip #2
Timing is everything 11

12. :
Tip #3
Make it personal 12

13. :
Tip #4
Make an “ask” 13

14. With our tips in mind, let’s get started…
Find the “Action Alert”
Listen to a personalized
Listen to a quick
Notice the impact of just a few lines 14

15. Let’s look at what makes an email effective…
Look at the personalized
Compare it with your checklist 15

16. Write your own email… Find your Email Practice Sheet
Using the “Action Alert” as your scenario, write a personalized
Refer to your checklist and sample s for help 16

17. What was effective? 17

18. Elevator speech Listen to an elevator speech
Compare it to your Elevator Speech Checklist 18

19. Prepare an elevator speech…
Find your Elevator Speech Practice Sheet
Add the personal components and your “ask” 19

20. Practice makes perfect…
Find a partner
Take turns practicing your elevator speech 20

21. Now, for phone calls… Listen to two common scenarios
Note the elements in your phone call checklist 21

22. How can you make a phone call with impact?
Prepare 22

23. Take a few minutes to…
Read the phone script and insert your own words to personalize
Describe how you are affected by mental illness
Add an important highlight from your story
Hint: Borrow from your 23

24. Practice!
Pair up and take turns
practicing 24

25. What did you discover today?
Congratulations!
What did you discover today? 25

26. Please turn in your evaluation form
We value your feedback
Please turn in your evaluation form 26

27. Authors Angela Kimball Valerie Hunter
NAMI Smarts for Advocacy is copyrighted by the National Alliance on Mental Illness. No part of these materials may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form except by permission from an authorized representative of the national organization. 27
© NAMI, Inc. 2013