health policy and advocacy workshop gabrielle orbaek white state advocacy manager, community...

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 Whitegorbaekwhite@communitycatalyst.org617-275-2831

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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