“You, Your Experience – Together, Our Voice”

Advocacy 101John Madigan– Senior Director of Public Policy, AFSPTrevor Summerfield – Manager of Public Policy, AFSP

Ad – vo - cateAd – vo - cate1)1) One that pleads the cause of One that pleads the cause of

anotheranother2)2) One that defends or maintains a One that defends or maintains a

cause or proposalcause or proposal3)3) One that promotes or supports the One that promotes or supports the

interests of anotherinterests of another

Nuts and Bolts of Being an AdvocateNuts and Bolts of Being an Advocate

Educate yourselfEducate yourself

Educate the public and other stakeholdersEducate the public and other stakeholders

Educate public officials and their staffEducate public officials and their staff

Research the IssuesResearch the Issues Go to:Go to:

www.spanusa.orgwww.spanusa.org www.sprc.orgwww.sprc.org www.afsp.orgwww.afsp.org

Attend a national AFSP, AAS or SPRC conferenceAttend a national AFSP, AAS or SPRC conference Become and AFSP field advocateBecome and AFSP field advocate Participate in an AFSP webinarParticipate in an AFSP webinar Learn about your state’s suicide prevention plan if one Learn about your state’s suicide prevention plan if one

existsexists Subscribe to newsletters, social networking sites and Subscribe to newsletters, social networking sites and

publicationspublications

Prepare yourself and know the factsPrepare yourself and know the facts Personalize and localize the issues where Personalize and localize the issues where

possible (AFSP state fact sheets provide possible (AFSP state fact sheets provide useful local information)useful local information)

Download and use fact sheets and issue Download and use fact sheets and issue briefs prepared by the AFSP public policy briefs prepared by the AFSP public policy staffstaff

At the federal level consult At the federal level consult websites for AFSP public policy websites for AFSP public policy

prioritiespriorities Examples:Examples:

• Reauthorization of SAMHSA and adequate funding Reauthorization of SAMHSA and adequate funding of Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act programsof Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act programs

• Legislation on veteran and military suicide Legislation on veteran and military suicide preventionprevention

• Adequate funding of NIMH, NIAAA, NIDAAdequate funding of NIMH, NIAAA, NIDA

2011 Federal Policy PrioritiesOn December 1, 2010, the AFSP Board of Directors approved the recommendations from the AFSP Public Policy Council regarding legislative and regulatory priorities to be pursued at the federal and state level in calendar year 2011. AFSP/SPAN USA Public Policy staff will work with AFSP/SPAN USA national volunteers, along with Chapter Field Advocates and AFSP Field staff to attain the following goals and objectives.

 The federal-level public policy priorities for calendar year 2011 are:

• Achieve appropriations at the highest attainable level for Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act (GLSMA) programs.

• Maintain veteran and military personnel suicide prevention and education programs as a top priority for Congress, the Administration, DOD and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

• Encourage the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to invest more substantially in research related to suicide prevention and work with Congress to appropriate more dollars in this area.

• Fund the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) with enough money to cover the program in all fifty states.

• Monitor and respond as necessary to the implementation/potential scale back of health care reform laws as they relate to mental health parity and any other issues related to mental or behavioral health.

• Achieve reauthorization of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).• Achieve authorization and funding of Native American youth suicide prevention and education programs at

the highest levels possible.• Achieve authorization and funding of LGBT data collection, support for safe schools and anti-bullying efforts.• Achieve authorization and funding of bridge barrier projects like the Golden Gate Bridge. • Achieve authorization and or funding of bullying and cyber-bullying programs and projects.• Achieve authorization and appropriations for the Depression Centers of Excellence at the highest levels

possible.

2011 State Policy PrioritiesThe state-level public policy priorities and activities for calendar year 2011 for AFSP Chapter volunteers and staff, in consultation with national AFSP Public Policy staff are:

• Review and establish a base line understanding of what current exists in each state relative to:– Statewide suicide prevention plan or initiative. How and why this plan operates in the state.

What improvements/updates/laws need to be made if any?– What state or local requirements are there for training of school personnel on suicide

prevention and education? What needs to be done to improve, update or legislate in this area?

– What are the current state laws or regulations on bullying, including cyber-bullying and electronic harassment? What still needs to be done in this area?

• In addition, each Chapter/state will be asked to evaluate the opportunity for a “Visit to the State Capital Day” as a means to educate the governor and state lawmakers on suicide education and prevention.

 Each Chapter/state will be asked to review and verify that AFSP Public Policy office has the latest and most accurate information. Each Chapter/state will assess what fits their situation best. In this case, one size may not fit all. For example, in some states a free-standing separate suicide prevention office may work, in others, a hybrid agency/organization might work best. Each Chapter/state will be encouraged to complete this analysis and action plan in the months of November, December and January, to facilitate activity and programs that will allow for timely implementation of laws and or programs to facilitate suicide prevention and education in a particular state.

At the federal level, access websites like – At the federal level, access websites like – www.senate.govwww.senate.gov

www.house.govwww.house.gov

www.whitehouse.govwww.whitehouse.gov

www.dhha.govwww.dhha.gov

www.samhsa.govwww.samhsa.gov

www.nimh.nih.govwww.nimh.nih.gov

Key Phone Numbers to KnowKey Phone Numbers to Know

White House SwitchboardWhite House Switchboard 202-456-1414202-456-1414

US CapitolUS Capitol SenateSenate

• 202-224-3121202-224-3121 HouseHouse

• 202-225-3121202-225-3121

Google your state government and Google your state government and legislature web sites, e.g.legislature web sites, e.g.

www.alabama.gov and www.alabama.gov and www.legislature.state.al.uswww.legislature.state.al.us

www.illinois.gov and www.illinois.gov and www.ilga.govwww.ilga.gov

www.wv.gov and www.wv.gov and www.legis.state.wv.uswww.legis.state.wv.us

Federal and State Legislative Process – Federal and State Legislative Process – Similarities and differences?Similarities and differences?

At the state level, beyond At the state level, beyond legislative issues -legislative issues -

Plan a Suicide Awareness Event in your Plan a Suicide Awareness Event in your State CapitolState Capitol

Ask the Governor to declare a statewide Ask the Governor to declare a statewide Suicide Prevention WeekSuicide Prevention Week

Form a state commission for suicide Form a state commission for suicide preventionprevention

Federal and State Advocacy - Federal and State Advocacy - RecapRecap

Research your issue – organize your Research your issue – organize your thoughts!thoughts!

Be armed with the facts – Localize and Be armed with the facts – Localize and personalizepersonalize

Federal, state and local suicide Federal, state and local suicide prevention, education and research prevention, education and research resourcesresources

Reach out to Survivors -Reach out to Survivors -

Support groups at Support groups at local hospitals, local hospitals, hospices, places of hospices, places of worship, community worship, community centers and schoolscenters and schools

Try to get Survivors Try to get Survivors interested in the interested in the AFSP Field Advocate AFSP Field Advocate programprogram

Reach out to local media -Reach out to local media -

Establish relationships with local reportersEstablish relationships with local reporters

Write a letter to the Editor or an Op-Ed piece for Write a letter to the Editor or an Op-Ed piece for your local paperyour local paper

Provide dates and times for survivor meetings Provide dates and times for survivor meetings and education classes to mediaand education classes to media

Review AFSP media guidelinesReview AFSP media guidelines

Speak at a city/town Council or School Speak at a city/town Council or School Board meeting, benefits include-Board meeting, benefits include-

Opportunity to speak to a large number of Opportunity to speak to a large number of public officials at oncepublic officials at once

Reach like-minded members of your Reach like-minded members of your communitycommunity

Make contact with local reporters covering Make contact with local reporters covering the meetingthe meeting

Reaching out Locally - RecapReaching out Locally - Recap

Reach out to SurvivorsReach out to Survivors

Local suicide prevention and education Local suicide prevention and education collaboratorscollaborators

Local MediaLocal Media

Other local opportunities to reach outOther local opportunities to reach out

Reaching out to Public OfficialsReaching out to Public Officials You can-You can-

Write, phone or email Members of Congress or other Write, phone or email Members of Congress or other officialsofficials

Make an appointment to meet your public officialsMake an appointment to meet your public officials Work on and distribute nonpartisan analyses and Work on and distribute nonpartisan analyses and

studiesstudies Provide technical assistance and advice to legislative Provide technical assistance and advice to legislative

bodiesbodies Provide testimonyProvide testimony Write letters to the editor, appear on television or Write letters to the editor, appear on television or

radioradio Encourage family, neighbors and friends to be Encourage family, neighbors and friends to be

involvedinvolved

Reaching out to Public OfficialsReaching out to Public Officials

You can not – You can not – Use your non-profit/corporate affiliation to Use your non-profit/corporate affiliation to

endorse or oppose candidatesendorse or oppose candidates

Use your non-profit/corporate affiliation for Use your non-profit/corporate affiliation for any electioneeringany electioneering

When speaking or visiting with a When speaking or visiting with a Public OfficialPublic Official

Be brief – brevity is appreciatedBe brief – brevity is appreciated Explain your personal or professional interest in suicide Explain your personal or professional interest in suicide

prevention issuesprevention issues Know how the issue affects suicide prevention, Know how the issue affects suicide prevention,

education or researcheducation or research Know precisely what you want the public official to doKnow precisely what you want the public official to do Offer to be a resource on suicide prevention issuesOffer to be a resource on suicide prevention issues Leave behind short issue briefs or other informationLeave behind short issue briefs or other information Be cordialBe cordial If you have time, follow up with a thank you noteIf you have time, follow up with a thank you note

When writing or emailing a public officialWhen writing or emailing a public official

Fully state your case, using the same facts Fully state your case, using the same facts you would in a visityou would in a visit

Make clear you expect a prompt responseMake clear you expect a prompt response Be polite and courteous, never threaten or Be polite and courteous, never threaten or

challengechallenge If possible, follow up with a phone call, and If possible, follow up with a phone call, and

say so in your letter or emailsay so in your letter or email

Reaching Out to Public Officials - RecapReaching Out to Public Officials - Recap

Communicating with your elected officials Communicating with your elected officials and their staff – Be brief and to the point!and their staff – Be brief and to the point!

Writing or emailing an elected official – Writing or emailing an elected official – Make your case clearly!Make your case clearly!

Visiting with your elected official – Visiting with your elected official – Remember their staff is important! Remember their staff is important!

Stay in Touch! Become a Resource Stay in Touch! Become a Resource to your Elected Officials!to your Elected Officials!

Making a Difference!Making a Difference!

Thank You!Thank You!

John Madigan, Senior Director of Public PolicyJohn Madigan, Senior Director of Public PolicyTrevor Summerfield, Manager of Public PolicyTrevor Summerfield, Manager of Public Policy

American Foundation for Suicide PreventionAmerican Foundation for Suicide Prevention1010 Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 4081010 Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 408

Washington, DC 20005Washington, DC 20005

jmadigan@afsp.orgjmadigan@afsp.orgtsummerfield@afsp.orgtsummerfield@afsp.org202-449-3600 phone202-449-3600 phone

202-449-3601 fax202-449-3601 fax