Building Grassroots Support For Federal Legislation (LIVE Webinar)-IHS Grassroots Advocacy Support (RECORDING)

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The IHS webinar introduced by Peter Mihalik is focused on engaging IHS members in advocacy efforts for a new piece of legislation supporting the "fit-to-serve" initiative. The webinar aims to guide attendees in effectively communicating with congressional offices to ensure the inclusion of hearing aid specialists in the VA's community care program. This is crucial because the Veterans Affairs Administration has been slow to integrate hearing aid specialists into its programs, impacting service access for veterans. <br /><br />Mihalik discusses various advocacy methods such as phone calls, emails, and district meetings, emphasizing the importance of using specific bill numbers and personal stories to make impactful communications. The webinar also highlights the use of VoterVoice, a tool that facilitates sending pre-scripted emails to Congress members, although it prefers personalized messages for more significant influence.<br /><br />Additionally, in-district meetings and letters to editors in local papers are presented as effective ways to increase awareness about veterans' access to healthcare services. The session includes a Q&A segment addressing practicalities of engaging in this advocacy, with Mihalik emphasizing the importance of grassroots involvement in shaping policy decisions. Audience members are encouraged to reach out to IHS for further assistance and to utilize available resources for effective advocacy.

Keywords

IHS webinar

advocacy efforts

fit-to-serve initiative

hearing aid specialists

Veterans Affairs

VoterVoice

grassroots involvement