Social Work Advocacy in Tough Times

How you can integrate effective advocacy into your social work practice, to strengthen your

organization and better serve your clients

Who said this? And when?

“We are all being told that we have to be pragmatic and recognize that this is not a “good” year for social issues, especially if they cost money. That implies that there may yet be a good year for social issues, if only we have patience. But no Congress has ever come to Washington vowing to make things right for the poor, the vulnerable, for workers, or for the environment. In that sense, this year is different only in degree.”

You CAN do Advocacy Advocacy that does NOT include a ‘call to action’ (including most

community practice) is NOT lobbying and is, therefore, unlimited! Educating community, tracking bills, leadership development, nonpartisan voter

registration Nonprofit 501(c)3 organizations are allowed to lobby.

For “non-electing” organizations, lobbying must be “no substantial part of a charity’s activities.”

This includes expenditures, time and energy devoted by staff and volunteers, and success in achieving advocacy goals.

The 501(h) election allows nonprofit organizations to lobby with greater clarity and less worry.

By filling out a simple 501(h) form, 501(c)3 organizations can be judged instead by specific dollar limits set on lobbying. Can turn into the IRS at any time; keep a copy for your records

These nonprofits have no limits on their free (volunteer) lobbying activities and can spend up to 20% of the first $500,000 of their annual organization’s budget on lobbying (although no more than 25% of this can be spent on grassroots lobbying).

“Here’s what we can and can’t do”

Safe Activities Public education about

policy issues (with a ‘call to action’, it counts as lobbying)

Nonpartisan voter registration drives

Candidate surveys (with guidance)

Lobbying within legal limits

Policy analysis without a “call to action”

Unsafe Activities Candidate endorsements Campaign contributions Candidate pledges Partisan GOTV Exceeding lobbying

limits, or failing to keep track of lobbying activities

Failing to distinguish between “grassroots” and “direct” lobbying

You SHOULD Do Advocacy The NASW Code of Ethics includes some specific mandates to

engage in advocacy ‘challenge social injustice’, ‘advocate within and outside their agencies for

adequate resources to meet clients’ needs (3.07a) ‘advocate for living conditions conducive to the fulfillment of basic human

needs and should promote social, economic, political, and cultural values and institutions that are compatible with the realization of social justice’ (6.01)

‘engage in social and political action that seeks to ensure that all people have equal access to the resources, employment, services, and opportunities they require to meet their basic human needs and to develop fully’ (6.04a).

There are also implicit requirements to engage in advocacy, as it is necessary in order to ‘promote the well-being of their clients’ (1.01), and to fulfill the social work mission statement (given that the status quo creates and perpetuates social problems and human need).

None of these requirements are conditioned on availability of resources (including time, staff, or money).

Why now? Times are tight, and everything is on the chopping block:

For FY2009, Kansas had a $186 million gap and Missouri a $542 million gap in general funds

For FY2010, Kansas faces a gap of 22% of the general fund; Missouri of more than 10%

Across the country, states are closing these gaps by cutting education, services to elderly and disabled, state workforce, and other social welfare functions.

Nationally, despite a more progressive administration, we have a long way to go: All ‘non-defense discretionary’ spending accounts for only 18% of

the federal budget (divided up among all of our social welfare work, plus transportation and environment and lots more)

U.S. has lower rate of social welfare investment than most other developed countries, and it shows—families more vulnerable, communities more strained

But it’s so bad, we can’t expect much… The Great Depression brought us Social Security, the

cornerstone of our social insurance system, single-handedly responsible for lifting millions of children and seniors out of poverty

The late 1960s, in the middle of an ugly war in Vietnam, Congress passed Food Stamps, Medicaid, Medicare, and milestone civil rights legislation

We have real opportunities, even in these budget times Public opinion more amenable to investments, because pain

is shared Some sympathetic members of Congress looking to retain

seats Greater technical expertise has shown us what ‘works’ and

allowed us to prove it Strengths-based social workers: what else?

Okay, but how?

From clients to constituents to leaders

Engaging those you serve as full partners not only practices empowerment and leads towards their actualization, but it also reduces the demands on professional staff

Requires a mental shift from staff: using new language, renegotiating boundaries

Expect some time to adjust and

some role confusion initially Introduce social action into your

practice

Legislative AdvocacyWHAT WORKS

RELATIONSHIPS! Appeal to interests

Requires getting to know what they care about, getting affected individuals in front of them, and meeting in person whenever possible

Present accurate, compelling information In accessible format, that

makes them look informed Make an electoral case

How it will affect them in direct votes or overall electability

Use media and public pressure Minimize controversy by

controlling the debate

WHAT DOESN’T Emails or other mass

communication from those outside of their districts

Threats related to their elections Solely emotional appeals (or

solely intellectual ones)—will only firm up your existing support

Relying on allies to carry your message for you (especially paid lobbyists, who have connections but not your passion)

Using the exact same message/strategy for all policymakers

Ignoring the staff to focus only on lawmakers

Low-Investment Strategies that Work

Federal legislative advocacy—you don’t have to go to Washington, DC!: In-district delegations Teleconference to DC staffers Legislative open house at your agency Use media to reach Letters and phone calls still matter

State legislative advocacy: Call on your issues Visit on Fridays, off-session Target committees and work with your networks

Don’t forget local government!

Cities and counties control disbursement of many state and federal funds, zoning and other local regulations that affect NPOs, and direct provision of core services

Local scale facilitates relationship-building: Attend hearings (with clients) Meet directly with council people Work with staff on technical solutions Ask local officials to intervene on state and federal

issues, too

Get inspired—success stories!

MASW and tax credit for Individual Development Accounts

KAC and booster seat lawKIDS accounts in Learning QuestInstate tuition in KansasUCS, Kansas Catholic Conference and KS

EITC

Regulatory Advocacy

Many of the ‘details’ that give policies their teeth are found in regulations, not legislation

Monitoring this implementation can expose potential problems and opportunities, but intentional intervention is needed

Work with agency staff in advance of drafting, submit formal comments, use media to spur change/increase compliance

How to win with regulations

Play defense: against restrictive eligibility rules, inadequate staffing ratios, inaccurate definitions, conflicting rules, erosion of your legislative victories

Win what you couldn’t win legislatively: more expansive eligibility, larger program mandate, stronger appeal/civil rights protections

Get inspired—success stories!

REAL ID Act—stalled in the regulations phase, put more pressure on Congress for concessions

Safe food advocates have used rule-making to improve safety standards for meat in school, pasteurized milk, and other products

Environmental advocates work through regulations to strengthen protections in clean air/water, endangered species, and other critical environmental legislation

Judicial Advocacy

Judiciary’s role especially important when legislatures and executives constrained by budget concerns

Make policy without regard to fiscal implications

Can intervene with injunctions, oversight, contempt of court

Advocates use courts to obtain information, seek redress, force negotiation, inform public

Why would I want to go to court?And do I have to be a lawyer?

Heightened exposure—people pay attention to lawsuits

Possibility of dramatic, even expensive, changes

Can recoup legal costs if successful

Create new legal rights for clients—foundation for future advocacy

Can recruit plaintiffs or intervenors

Author amicus curiae briefs (or just sign)

Conduct background research

Fundraise to defray costs or recruit pro bono representation

Provide media support

Get inspired—success stories! Goldberg v. Kelley (property right to receive

welfare, 1970) King v. Smith (ended man-in-the-house and other

discriminatory welfare rules, 1968) Brown v. BOE (1954)—and much of civil rights

movement Olmstead v. L.C. Ex Rel. Zimring (unwarranted

institutionalization is a form of discrimination, 1999) Bradley v. Haley (2000, mental health care for

incarcerated) Several SPLC cases against hate groups (1980s,

1990s,see www.splc.org) Penny Doe v. Richardson (1998, homeless

children’s right to education)

Agency Advocacy

Sometimes, it is our own social work agency whose policies are contrary to our clients’ (and our) interests

Turning our advocacy inward can have dramatic impact on client well-being, since this is a point of direct contact: Program goals: “what is ‘success’?” Evaluation techniques and outcomes measures Staffing levels and requirements Controlling access (one of our most powerful tools):

Eligibility rules Incentives and sanctions Accessibility (hours, locations, language)

Processes (appeals, notice of budget decisions) Access to power (Board, transparency) Implementation decisions

How to do this without (hopefully) losing your job?

Understand the organizational imperatives driving your agency, and appeal to those

Advocate for change consistent with organizational culture—root in core values

Build a coalition for changeDocument the problem, your proposed

solution, steps you’re taking, responses

Get inspired—success stories!

Clients change a mental health center’s policy on no-shows for transportation service

Staff change hours of service to accommodate client schedules

Agency adds clients to Board and

provides simultaneous translation

Media Advocacy

Editorials Meetings with editorial boards, prepare materials

specific to their communities, have a hook Letters to the editor

Draft letters to be submitted by allies Earned media

Press advisories, relationships with reporters who cover statehouse/Congress/local government, organization of events to generate coverage, prepare multiple responses as contingencies for votes/actions

Paid advertising (only buy what you can’t get otherwise) Collecting information from reporters Sharing media coverage with policymakers

In packets, for visits, with staff

Even if you have to be on TV, it’s worth it!

Increased exposure—including to potential donors

Ability to set the tone/parameters of debate on your issues

Relationships with media professionalsPractice telling your story—an essential

part of fundraisingSocial media=not just conveying content

but making connections

Get Inspired—Success Stories!

A. in the Kansas City StarInvisible Kansans (YouTube, billboard)Susan Wagle and the Wichita Eagle

editorialPiedmont Peace ProjectWe are Marie campaign

Get Started—Easy Ways to Begin Write letters, call, send emails to elected officials

Everybody does this after one staff meeting (5 minutes) Make the connections between “cases” and “causes” with

staff, clients, and community Committee to discuss common concerns, or electronic way of

tracking systemic problems (meet 4x/year) Watch for news coverage of political or policy issues

Commitment to respond with a press release or letter to the editor 2x/year

Engage your clients Voter registration at intake, invitations to participate

Comment on regulations Sign up for alerts from like-minded organizations

Join a coalition in the community, designate a staff member to forward pertinent alerts, use social media to connect with relevant organizations/causes

Once you get hooked… Sponsor a Lobby Day for your organization or issue

Set up visits for Board members, a group of clients, and some staff

Host a public forum with candidates or elected officials Collaborate with other organizations/coalitions

Organize a campaign to generate calls to legislators Use your donor files (people enjoy being asked for something

besides $$!) Publish a regular community newsletter

Feature your organization’s achievements as well as key policy/community concerns

Testify at committee hearings with clients Work with legislators to draft and move bills Follow up with your clients for GOTV

Get students or volunteers to make phone calls 2 weeks before Election Day

Measuring Impact and Claiming Victory

Have a clear theory of changeConvert the process goals

we commonly use in advocacy to outcome indicators.

Balance realistic and aspirational goals as we set our benchmarks.

Push back somewhat on the drive towards quantification of

results

Making the Case: Advocacy and the Agency Bottom Line

Approach your leadership as you would any advocacy target—your aim is to convince and compel

There are absolutely risks, but organizations that engage in advocacy often see: Enhanced visibility and reputation Greater aura of expertise Enhanced client loyalty/commitment Greater staff creativity and passion, lower turnover Greater stability—power helps to weather storms

Resources to Help

Handouts provided: Web resources Lobbying tips How to write letters to the editor Media tips State legislative overviews Tips on working with media

melindaklewis.com: blog on social work advocacy and organizing