Building Grassroots Support For Federal Legislation (On-Demand Webinar)-IHS Grassroots Advocacy Campaign (SLIDES)

IHS Grassroots Advocacy Campaign (SLIDES)

Pdf Summary

The document outlines strategies for building grassroots support for federal legislation as presented by Peter J. Mihalick, Esq., the Health Policy and Advocacy Director at IHS (International Hearing Society). The purpose of their initiative is to support legislation that benefits the profession and builds capacity in engaging with Congressional offices for long-term advocacy efforts.<br /><br />Grassroots advocacy is emphasized as Congressional offices particularly notice issues raised by their constituents, making it crucial to engage directly through phone calls, emails, letters, and local initiatives like letters to the editor. Such actions can help form coalitions with other organizations and stress the district relevance of issues.<br /><br />Phone calls can be an immediate way to contact congressional offices, though they are challenging to track as staff enters responses into databases. Scripts for calls and emails are provided to constituents to streamline their communication, for example, urging support for specific legislation that impacts hearing healthcare for veterans.<br /><br />Direct mail and emails offer clear communication channels, with emails allowing for better response tracking. Constituents are also encouraged to use tools like VoterVoice, which enable preloaded scripted emails and give more control over content and tracking success rates.<br /><br />In addition, the strategy includes engaging with district offices through the media, such as writing letters to the editor, which can highlight personal stories relevant to the legislation. In-person meetings with district staff offer opportunities for immediate engagement, although these staff members typically do not make policy decisions.<br /><br />It's advised to share personal stories, while maintaining patient privacy, to amplify advocacy efforts. The document concludes with a call to action for constituents to prepare to contact key congressional members and highlights the availability of further resources and training webinars for participants.

Keywords

grassroots advocacy

federal legislation

Peter J. Mihalick

International Hearing Society

Congressional engagement

constituent communication

VoterVoice tool

district offices

personal stories

advocacy training