THE POWER OF THE HOME VISITOR IN LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY Madeline DuHaime McClure, LCSW

THE POWER OF THE HOME VISITORIN LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY Madeline DuHaime McClure, LCSW Executive Director, TexProtects April 4, 2014

Can Non-Profit Organizations Advocate? Advocacy verses Lobbying Advocacy ADVOCACY: To speak up, to educate or inform, to plead the case of another, to champion a cause. LOBBYING: Attempting to influence legislation. (Refers to specific legislation or action) Lobbying TexProtects, The Texas Association for the Protection of Children

Nonprofits Can Lobby • IRS • No substantial part of activities – generally, 5% or less • (h) election – sliding scale based on a 1976 law. • Nonprofits cannot spend public funds on lobbying • Nonprofits cannot endorse a candidate for office • Resource: Center for Lobbying in the Public Interest • http://www.clpi.org/the-law/irs-rules TexProtects, The Texas Association for the Protection of Children

How Does it Work? The Legislative Process Simplified TexProtects, The Texas Association for the Protection of Children

The Five “I’s” of ADVOCACY You must work through the 4 or 5 I’s in this order! TexProtects, The Texas Association for the Protection of Children

1. Identify Who Represents Me? • Identify your legislators. • Who represents your interests? • Know at least your 2 elected state officials: Representative and Senator • Higher level: Chairs of HHS and Finance/Appropriations committees, Governor, Speaker, Lt. Governor http://azredistricting.org/districtlocator/ TexProtects, The Texas Association for the Protection of Children

1. Identify • Identify with your legislator-Helps shape your message: • Learn about your representative’s political affiliation, career and interests: Website • Higher Level: Volunteer for their political campaign or attend an event where they are speaking and introduce yourself. • Legislators respond to: • STORIES that they can re-tell! • Active members of their districts: Volunteering • Organizations that are engaged and understand process • Organized efforts TexProtects, The Texas Association for the Protection of Children

2. INTEREST Interest legislators with a story • Write to your legislators: • # abused kids in their county/district: • Get information from your local child protection data book or KIDS COUNT Data Center. (2013). Arizona Indicators. Retrieved from http://datacenter.kidscount.org/data#AZ/2/0. • Tell a personal story / Relate concern from the news: Always reading/watching media • Remember they were elected to serve their community and most of them are very in tune with trying to serve their district. TexProtects, The Texas Association for the Protection of Children

2. INTEREST Build Interest for you issue HIGHER LEVEL ADVOCACY: • Collaborate with organizations or individuals that have similar goals/missions. • Organize an event centered around your issue and invite your legislators to attend. • Try to get your local media outlets to cover your issue. • Op-ed • Human Interest Story • Blogs TexProtects, The Texas Association for the Protection of Children

3. INFORM: This is where YOU have the Power! • Meet with them and Inform your legislator of your solution! • Develop a focused and consistent message: Need to expand HV services to serve the ______waiting list: Requires an additional $________. • Bring your client and her baby! Let the client speak about the HV program (choose a sympathetic, articulate client….turned around her life). • Talk about YOUR experience in watching the clients transform their lives. • No need to overstate or understate the problem or solution TexProtects, The Texas Association for the Protection of Children

Home Visiting= Most Effective Defense Outcomes Among Multiple Evidence-Based Home Visiting Programs TexProtects, The Texas Association for the Protection of Children

Home Visiting:A Sound Investment* *RAND Corporation Analyses of the Nurse-Family Partnership Program (2008) TexProtects, The Texas Association for the Protection of Children

4. INVESTMENT þ x • Investment is commonly referred to as the “ask”. It is getting your legislator to commit to help by: • Supporting your bill that will help the cause • Support funding for your major issues • Vote against legislation that will hurt your cause • Connect you to individuals that can help your cause: Comptroller, Governor, etc. TexProtects, The Texas Association for the Protection of Children

5. INVOLVE • HIGHER LEVEL: It is getting your legislator to be a leader in Home Visiting Policy or funding • File a bill, co-sponsor a home visiting bill • Champion funding for home visiting • Lead the Fight against legislation that will hurt home visiting • Raise awareness of the issue-Speak to a group TexProtects, The Texas Association for the Protection of Children

Putting the 5 “I’s” to Work Setting up a meeting Preparing for the big day Helpful Tools Meeting with your legislator TexProtects, The Texas Association for the Protection of Children

Setting up the Meeting • Ask to speak to the person who schedule’s for the legislator. • State your name, the organization you belong to and let them know are a constituent (you live in the legislator’s district or your organization is located in the legislator’s district). (Utilize Board Members to Join you). • Topic you want to discuss. • Ask for 20 minutes. If booked, ask for 5 minutes. If not, ask to meet with the person who handles the issue - policy analyst , legislative director, or chief of staff. • Follow-up with an email request. TexProtects, The Texas Association for the Protection of Children

Preparing for the Big Day • Make sure you know where you are going. • Follow-up with an email to the scheduler. • Bring your materials: • Business dress (wear your uniform if you have one!) • Client should dress as usual-presentable. • If at the capitol - wear comfortable shoes. • Rehearse what you are going to say. TexProtects, The Texas Association for the Protection of Children

Visiting Your Legislator FIRST TWO TO THREE MINUTES: • Thank them for the meeting. Acknowledge the commitment they’ve made. • Tell them who you are. “I’m a Home Visitor with_____(briefly describe organization) volunteering to advocate for our clients: Vulnerable children and families.” Discuss Why this is important to you. NEXT 3-20 MINUTES • Get to the Point Quickly: Your Advocacy Agenda • Keep your message simple (Speak in 3’s) • Listen well (verbal and non-verbal) • Never be disagreeable: compliment objections • Complete Honesty Always! If you don’t know an answer, tell them you will find out and get back to them. • Ask for their support (investment). • Leave Behinds TexProtects, The Texas Association for the Protection of Children

Use of this Presentation TexProtects encourages you to reproduce and distribute these slides. If you reproduce these slides, please give appropriate credit to TexProtects and/or appropriate cited authority. If you have questions about this presentation or require it electronically please contact Madeline McClure, Executive Director, madeline@texprotects.org TexProtects The Texas Association for the Protection of Children 2904 Floyd St., Suite C | Dallas, TX 75214 214-442-1672 TexProtects, The Texas Association for the Protection of Children

THE POWER OF THE HOME VISITOR IN LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY Madeline DuHaime McClure, LCSW