Presented by Tony Anderson The Arc of California

1. Presented by Tony Anderson The Arc of California Resources: The Arc of the United States and the Disability Policy Collaboration of The Arc & UCP, Ray Labov, and Marty Omoto Public Policy Update and Influencing PolicymakersPrepared for the:“Uncovering What Matters” California Supported Living Network 13th Annual Leadership Conference April 18–19, 2013 at the Dana Hotel on Mission Bay April 2013

2. Overview: Visits, Testimony, Letters, Electronic, Social Media, etc”

3. Quick Rundown on the State Public Policy Positions for 2013 • Sunset the most recent 1.25% payment reduction to community providers and regional centers as scheduled • Sunset the family participation fee as scheduled • Require the regional centers to pay insurance copays, coinsurance, and deductibles, with no means testing

4. Quick Rundown on the State Public Policy Positions for 2013 • Create a comprehensive process for closing the state’s developmental centers • Revert early intervention eligibility requirements to the pre-2009 standard • End the unnecessary annual accounting audits of small service providers

5. LAO – Calls for an agency that is independent of the department it is supposed to oversee. However, we see three problems with creating a new office as LAO has recommended: •  The new agency’s responsibilities would overlap in a major way with the existing OPS’s responsibilities, creating even more of the confusion and jurisdictional conflicts that are a major part of the problem in the developmental centers now. •  Creating a new agency would leave OPS, an actual law enforcement agency, under the control of the department it is intended to police •  Forcing DDS to reduce its already inadequate budget by as much as $1 million to pay for the new agency, as the LAO has recommended, would lead to further degrading of support for people with developmental disabilities.

6. Quick Rundown on the National Public Policy Positions for 2013

7. Quick Rundown on the National Public Policy Positions for 2013 • Community Living Fact Sheet • Social Security • Education and Employment • Achieving A Better Life Experience, “ABLE” Act • Civil Rights: Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities • Affordable Care Act • Federal Funding Facts

8. Oh, But First, Don’t Forget to Embrace Your Power…

9. Don’t Forget the Lessons Mary Gonzales Taught Us… • Organize People Organize Money • Don’t Confuse Your Private Life with Your Personal Life • People Respond Most Effectively and Persistently When They Act in Their Self-Interest – Be Clear About Your Self-Interest. • People in Power Only Respond to an Equal or Greater Power • Don’t Be Afraid to Be a Powerful Person

10. Visiting your legislators and other policymakers

11. Tips for Effective Visits • Make an Appointment • Be on time • Be positive and friendly • State Reason for Visit • Personalized the issues • Reliable information • Engage in the problem solving • Encourage them to talk • Provide them with good contacts • Leave a written summary • Take a picture • Write a thank you letter • Follow-up meeting later in the year • Have others write letters

12. What to Avoid Regarding Visits • Confrontation • Too many issues Too Complex • Too Many Facts and Stats • Stretching the truth for effect. • Answering questions you don’t know • Leaving behind reports etc. • Messing around in the photo • Forget to write a thank you letter • Ignore the member the rest of the year • Ignore the member the rest of the year

13. Hearings, Meetings, etc.

14. What to expect in hearings • Listen to the chair’s opening remarks for clues • Call ahead to get the format • Check out the agenda before the meeting

15. Effective Testimony • Begin testimony by (1) thanking the chair and committee members (2) state your name (3) title (mom, dad, self-advocate, district constituent, etc). • Clearly state your position • Concisely state reasons • Keep the goal in mind • Give specific answers • Ask for clarification • If you don’t know the answer say so • Amendments: If you don’t know the effect say so • Be truthful at all times • Assume integrity of the legislators

16. Effective Testimony: What Not to Do • Don’t read written statements • Do not interrupt others • Don’t take opposition personally • Do not engage in argument • Stop while you’re ahead • Do not display a condescending attitude • Do not get “over-technical” • Don’t speak for others without permission

17. Writing: The Mighty Pen or Keyboard

18. Effective Letters • Address to the bill author, cc: committee members, the governor, and your local legislator • In the Subject or Re: line list the bill number or budget item and your position • Get to the point of the letter quickly • If representing a group mention it first • Be clear about what you’re asking for • Provide concrete, credible info on legislation’s impact • Add a short hand written message on the letter – if personal relationship • Use attention getting techniques sparingly • Write promptly know the process • Try to keep your letter to one page. • If you know the date of the hearing for a bill mention it. • Sign and provide your title

19. What Works? Ask the Experts • Survey completed by 350 staff from more than 200 House and Senate Offices http://www.cmfweb.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=63

20. staff views on form communications Take Home Message: Form letters are not effective. Staff think they are often fake. "Most identical form communications campaigns are sent without the constituent's knowledge or approval."

21. Influence of individual communications "If your Member/Senator has not already arrived at a firm decision on an issue, how much influence might the following Individualized written communications directed to the Washington office have on his/her decision?" Take Home Message: Most forms of individualized written communications work

22. Strategic Thinking Approach to Advocacy

23. Understand the Needs of Policymakers and the Importance of Long Term Relationships • Self-Interest • Power only yields to power • Time (Balancing Priorities) • Trust • Know the viable Policy options.

24. Understand the Needs of Political Staff • Promote and protect the boss. • Help with sorting through information to get to what’s most important. • Be a resource for fiscal and program estimates. • Help identify Key players • Help in developing true policy options, drafting bills, etc. • Help in developing political strategy

25. Know Your Rep and Their Committees – Where Members spend over 90% of their time in Washington Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Appropriations *Armed Services Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs *Budget Commerce, Science, and Transportation Energy and Natural Resources Environment and Public Works Finance *Foreign Relations Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions * Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Judiciary Rules and Administration Small Business and Entrepreneurship Veterans' Affairs Indian Affairs Select Committee on Ethics Select Committee on Intelligence Special Committee on Aging Joint Committee on Printing Joint Committee on Taxation Joint Committee on the Library Joint Economic Committee Agriculture Appropriations * Armed Services Budget Education and Labor * Energy and Commerce * Financial Services Foreign Affairs Homeland Security House Administration Judiciary Natural Resources Oversight and Government Reform Rules Science and Technology Small Business Standards of Official Conduct Transportation and Infrastructure * Committee on Veterans' Affairs Committee on Ways and Means * Joint Economic Committee Joint Committee on Taxation Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence   Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming

26. What committees do we focus on in California • Senate • Appropriations • Budget • SubBudget: Education • SubBudget: Human Services • Education • Health Human Services • Judiciary • Transportation • Housing • Public Safety • Assembly • Appropriations • Budget • SubBudget: Education • SubBudget: Human Services • Education • Health • Human Services • Judiciary • Transportation • Housing • Public Safety

27. Time Your Efforts – Why Are you Getting Another Action Alert? State Federal

28. We Need You Self-Advocates & Parents/Siblings Advocates Providers Paid Lobbyists

29. Learn about your Members’ Personal Connection to the Issue • More likely to understand & care about the issues. • Most of our champions have a close personal connection (E.g. Kennedy, Sensenbrenner, Harkin). • Pavley, Matthews, Bogh, Karnette, Chesbro, etc.

30. Other opportunities to Connect • Invite to programs, events, your house for coffee with friends, etc. • Seek local media coverage • Participate in Campaigns * • Vote * Learn about lobbying restrictions for 501(c)3 non profits at: http://www.clpi.org/Make_a_Difference_Resource_Guide.aspx

31. Sen. Barbara Boxer’s Constituent Breakfast

32. Follow-up • Thank you • Confirm conversation • Confirm commitments • Ask to help Follow through is the Chariot of Genius Terry Lierman, Chief of Staff House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer

33. It’s Year Round • One visit a year isn’t enough • Don’t always ask for something • Publicity • Thank yous /Awards

34. Town Hall Meetings • Offer face to face interactions with Members & staff • Help to get your message to your fellow community members. • Photo ops Sign up for alerts on your members’ web sites

35. Example Getting and Keeping Connections - Social Networking – Web 2.0 – etc.

36. Social Media: Twitter, Facebook, Newsletters, Email List, Flicker, etc.

37. Advocacy 2.0 - Moving Beyond your story • Know the issues and their impact on you and relate that quickly, then • Ask your legislators and or their staff to help you meet your needs in the context of the cuts they participated in making. • Have them follow-up with the proper entity to get answers to your questions. • Approach the interaction as an planning Team Meeting for an IPP/IFSP

38. Wrap up • Get involved • It’s your job • You are the expert • Much is at stake • It can be frustrating • Don’t ever give up

39. Questions? Tony Anderson, The Arc of California (916) 552-6619 www.thearcca.org Tony@TheArc CA.org