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Home | Advocacy

Tips for Talking to Your Legislators

Political transition years call for creative, informed and active advocacy.  Individuals can make a difference in the policy process by having a strategic plan, forming a professional relationship with their elected official, and showing passionate concern and articulation of your issue.  By following these fundamental steps, you can be an agent for change.

  1. Plan your strategy

You may only have a small window of opportunity to speak to the Legislator, so it is imperative that you have a well organized approach.  Know your own organizations’ goals and objectives following the “SMART” criteria (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely), formulate your position on the issue, research the Legislator’s background; including how they have voted on similar issues, and explain why your issue should be a priority.

  1. Make an Appointment a week in advance

Legislators are extremely busy and other advocates and lobbyists form a constant parade in and out of their offices.  Contact their secretary, state your name and organization, explain the purpose of your visit, identify who will attend, and be flexible on the timing.  Invite their staff to participate in the meeting to enhance your rapport with that office.

  1. Be punctual, patient, and persistent

Their schedules are hectic and ever changing, so be prepared to wait, ask where to locate them in the Capitol if they are not in the office at your scheduled time, and be willing to reschedule.  If it becomes certain that your Legislator will not be able to keep the meeting, simply sign the visitor’s log and ask to reschedule.

  1. Memorize your script

You should rehearse your message and the questions you want answered and be able to communicate succinctly in less than two minutes.  Leave related materials including a one-page fact sheet, brochures about your organization, and your contact information with the staff in case they have questions or need additional information after your visit.

  1. Make a formal introduction

When you do have the opportunity, introduce yourself and your organization, explaining how it empowers your constituents and communities.

  1. State your case and ask for a commitment

You have a limited window of opportunity to express what you want and become their expert on the subject, so make your statement concise, honest, and persuasive.  Use data and personal stories from their district to demonstrate credibility and gain acceptance.  If there is a bill you want to educate him or her on, have a copy of the bill ready.

  1. Show your appreciation and dedication by following up

Immediately following your meeting, you should send a thank you letter that reiterates your issue, acknowledges their dedication to their constituents, provides any information or clarification that was asked for during the appointment, and offers your future assistance.

  1. Do not lobby

As a non-profit organization, you must be careful not to cross lobbying lines.  You can educate on your issue, but you cannot “call to action” (Alliance for Justice) by asking them to vote yes or no on a bill.  For more information on lobbying and advocacy, visit www.allianceforjustice.org.

  1. Don’t get discouraged

Making policy change and building rapport requires time and effort.  It will take several visits, possibly sessions, to establish a relationship, make your points heard, and become the expert to your elected official.  You should alternate your contact with calls, visits, and letters.  Persistence, integrity and passion will make you a successful advocate for change.

  1. Ask for support

Do not let an opportunity to provide information pass by because you are unsure or uncomfortable.  Be courageous enough to ask for support from professionals in your arena when you are in doubt.  Feel free to call ACT Missouri for support on issues surrounding advocacy.  Having support will boost your confidence and enhance your relationship with the Legislator you are working with.

Speak Up, Speak Out, Speak Hard:  A Primer on Effective Advocacy Strategies, ACT Missouri, 2009

Media Alert: Speak Hard 2016

SpeakHard16CC

Media Alert
Contact: Natalie Newville
573-635-6669 (office)
660-596-9578 (cell-day of event)
nnewville@actmissouri.org

12th Annual Speak Hard Youth Conference Held in Jefferson City

Why: Speak Hard has given youth the opportunity to learn about underage drinking, substance abuse, and prevention since 2005.  Once again Missouri teen voices will unite at the State Capital to attend workshops, march to the Capitol, and visit with legislators.  A highlight of the day will be an Outstanding Youth Prevention Award ceremony, honoring teens from across the state who have proven to be dedicated to prevention.

What: A wide array of experts will present on substance abuse and prevention topics, including several youth presenters.  EPIC Assemblies, the 2016 keynote, is a professional touring group of 12 elite and diverse young artists who bring a powerful message to youth from coast to coast.  They blend their personal life stories with artistic expressions like dance, drama, original music, spoken word poetry, video and inspirational speaking. In the afternoon, fourteen teens from across Missouri will be honored with the 2016 Outstanding Youth Prevention Award.

When: Wednesday, April 13, 2016, 8:00am-3:00pm

Where: 8:00am- 2:00pm, Keynote, Breakouts, and Lunch, Capitol Plaza Hotel, 415 W McCarty St, Jefferson City, MO

2:30pm, Youth Awards in First Floor Rotunda, Missouri State Capitol, 201 W Capitol Ave, Jefferson City, MO

 

Missouri Delegation Meets with Legislators at CADCA’s Capitol Hill Day

Members of Missouri’s prevention community attended CADCA’s National Leadership Forum in February.  One of the most exciting parts of this conference is the ability to head to the Hill and speak with Missouri’s legislators about important prevention issues.

CleaverMembers of Lee’s Summit CARES and First Call met with Congressman Emanuel Cleaver.

GravesMembers of St. Joseph Youth Alliance, Tri-County, Liberty Alliance for Youth, Ray County Coalition, and ACT Missouri met with Congressman Sam Graves.

LuetkemeyerMembers of Council for Drug Free Youth, Jefferson County P.R.I.D.E., Compass Prevention, and ACT Missouri met with Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer.

SmithMembers of SEMO University RSC, Family Counseling Center, and ACT Missouri met with Congressman Jason Smith.

Getting to Know Your Legislator

Getting to know you…getting to know all about you.  These Julie Andrews lyrics are familiar to some of us classic folks, but who knew they applied to something like advocacy?  Last week, about 30 Missourians had the privilege of attending the annual CADCA Forum, and, more importantly, had the opportunity to get to know some of our federal legislators.  As exhilarating as this experience was, one does not have to go to this extreme to start the advocacy process.

So, where do you begin?  Do you know who your representative and senator are, but not much else?  You are not alone!  The best place and time to start getting to know him or her is here, and now. With a little research, patience, and diligence, you will soon know more about your legislator than just their political affiliation!

If you do not know who your legislators are, you will need to determine your 9-digit zip code by typing in your home address.  Once you have this, you are ready to navigate to the House of Representatives website.  Type in your zip code where it says “Who Is Your Representative?” and it will take you directly to his or her page.  Now you can determine:  how long they have been in office, what bills they sponsor or have sponsored in the past, and what they may be willing to sponsor.  You can also read their bio to ascertain what their personal interests are, what civic organizations they belong to, what their professional background is, and if they are from a rural or urban community.  Use this same process with your Senator and click where it says “Legislator Lookup”.

Now, to get a little more acclimated with their policy interests, investigate which committees they serve on.  For example, a farmer may serve on the Agriculture committee, a teacher on the Elementary and Secondary Education committee.  Make a special note of which Appropriations committee they serve on to further determine basic interests.  If you want to see how your legislator voted on past bills, email ACT Missouri at info@actmissouri.org and we will research it for you.

For information on lobbyists that are financially contributing to your legislator, check the reports on the Missouri Ethics Commission website.

Remember, legislators rely on their constituents for input, stories, data, and most importantly, votes!  Email your legislator, set up an appointment if you desire, or just offer to be a resource on your area of expertise.  You will be singing “Getting to Know You…” in no time!

Reducing Stigma By Changing Language

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
-Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18 

You’re pretty.

Both of these statements convey the same sentiment, one just does so more elegantly and thoughtfully.  The power of language never ceases to amaze.  It can unite, excite, confuse and diffuse.  Words can be deal breakers or deal makers.  The very aspect that separates us from beasts can sometimes help us behave like beasts.

My favorite English professor compared “proper” English to your wearing your Sunday best.  You use it when it is appropriate, like for job interviews, writing papers or public speaking, but not in every day casual conversations.  When it comes to addiction, some “Sunday best” language is in order if the goal is to get people suffering with a substance use disorder to treatment.

When most people hear the word “addict”, they automatically pair it with negativity; hopeless, unhealthy, morally inept, loser.  When we hear the word “cancer”, we may automatically think of terms like: survivor, sympathy, innocent victim.  Why the disparity between two equally devastating diseases?  Language.

Michael Botticelli, the Director for the Office of National Drug Policy, says, “Research shows that the language we use to describe this disease can either perpetuate or overcome the stereotypes, prejudice and lack of empathy that keep people from getting treatment they need”.

The drug czar’s office is developing a glossary of suggested language to help reduce the stigma of addiction.  Here are a few of the recommendations:

“Dirty” with “actively using”
“alcoholic” with “substance use disorder”
“clean” with “abstinent”

This is not to say that in casual conversations or at support group meetings these terms aren’t acceptable.  However, if we want to make a real cultural shift in how society views this disease, some simple steps can make great strides.

Video Game and Internet Addiction

Has anyone ever told you that you are addicted to video games or spend too much time on Facebook? What do they mean? Is Video Game Addiction real?

Internet Addiction Disorder, although new in the field of psychiatry, is defined as an impulse-control condition. Internet use becomes problematic if it absorbs too much time causing a person to neglect relationships, work, school, or other important things in life, or if a person keeps repeating compulsive internet behavior, despite negative consequences.

Geeks With Wives (GWW), a popular website and podcast, shares tips on how to balance your video game hobby with other responsibilities. Joe Barhoum, President of GWW, uses “a simple hierarchy of needs: family, health, work, fun. Before I sit down to play games, I ensure that these needs are met, and in that order. And I’m always willing to walk away from gaming to satisfy one of these more important needs. My cell phone is always by my side and my wife always knows when I’m gaming.” Andrew Barton, Editor-Games, gives similar advice. “I have several hobbies (mostly all geek related) and I tend to rotate through them, almost in phases. I may play video games a lot over two or three weeks, and then rotate into comic books, and then into television and movies. It makes things all the sweeter for when I return to a hobby after a couple weeks.”

Source

The most common forms of this addiction are: online gaming, gambling, pornography, and social media. Online gaming ad­diction affects approximately 5,000,000 children, and children and adolescents are the most susceptible of developing an internet addiction disorder.Additional at risk populations include those that struggle with mental health disorders like anxiety, depression, and other addictions. Individuals who lack social support, feel unhappy or stressed, or are less mobile or socially active as they once were are also vulnerable to IAD.

Behavioral signs and symptoms are:

  • Losing track of time spent online
  • Neglecting tasks at work or home to be online
  • Isolating from family, friends and activities that were once enjoyable
  • Feeling guilty or defensive about internet use
  • Experiencing euphoria while involved in internet activities

Physical symptoms may include:

  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
  • Dry eyes or strained vision
  • Headaches, neck or back pain,
  • Disturbed sleep
  • Weight loss or gain

Should parents stop their children playing any video games because of what they hear on the news? Kenney Newville, Vice-President of GWW, doesn’t think so.  He says that “parents know their children better than anyone else, and know what kind of entertainment they can handle.  There are many different genres of video games out there.  They are not all shooting games, and many have no violence at all.”

So what can parents do to help their children keep a balance? Joe suggests that parents “focus strongly on a hierarchy of needs. Make sure the boxes are checked, literally, before allowing it. Always limit the time spent gaming. It should never be more than 1 hour at a time. Be willing to invest the time to learn what they’re doing with video games. Help them learn from what they’re doing. Games can teach you to have sympathy, to work as a team, and much more. Furthermore, if they enjoy gaming, maybe they’d enjoy programming or hardware design. Introduce them to the other side of the screen. They may find a brilliant career ahead of them.” Kenney also emphasizes “knowing what your child is playing.  Don’t just go buy a game because it is popular.  Know the rating on the games your child plays and know if your child can handle it.”

Do you think you have an internet addiction?  Seeking help from a professional is the only way to be diagnosed; however, Dr. Kimberly Young developed the Internet Addiction Diagnostic Questionnaire (IADQ). Meeting five symptoms are necessary to be diagnosed, and there are several versions online you can take to register your online usage.

Want to cut down your internet use? Ask yourself why you use the internet so much, noting any underlying problems that may be contributing to the overuse. You can also strengthen your coping skills with life’s stressors, and surround yourself with a supportive network of people.

If you think you have a problem with any addiction in your life, please seek professional help.

Initial “It Only Takes One” Campaign a Success

The initial IT ONLY TAKES ONE campaign has concluded, with three groups winning top honors. To take part in this campaign, schools had to register in the fall. Then, students from 34 participating schools were presented a free t-shirt after submitting a completed parent-teen driving contract to their advisors. The t-shirts proved to be an effective tool to get students talking about the dangers of distracted driving, but many of the schools did not stop there. Students and advisors carried this message out into the community – with posters, thumb bands, belt checks, and other materials that sparked conversation between teens and adults about safe driving practices.   Almost 1700 students were impacted by the campaign across Missouri.

 For their participation, Campbell C2000 received 1st place with a prize of $1,000, Platte County High School received 2nd place with a prize of $750, and New Madrid County Family Resource Center received 3rd place with a prize of $500. Campbell C2000 completed pre/post safety belt surveys, presented a distracted driving program to their high school and distributed It Only Takes One parent contracts and shirts to students in their community.  The coalition also wrote for funding for two large billboard signs for the city and school ballparks promoting their IT ONLY TAKES ONE message.  They have big plans for their award including a creating a float for the upcoming Campbell PeachFair Parade and hosting an information booth at the Peach Fair and at the Back To School Open House Event in Campbell.  MacKenzie Metheny, a student of the coalition, stated “This campaign has been extremely empowering for us because we have already seen that we are actually making a difference in our friends’ lives and their families’ lives!”

2015 IT ONLY TAKES ONE Campaign information and applications will be available through ACT Missouri in Fall 2014. The IT ONLY TAKES ONE campaign has been made possible by grants received from the Missouri Department of Transportation, Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety.

ACT Missouri is the statewide training and resource center for substance abuse prevention.  Through free trainings, brochures, and education, ACT Missouri works with all areas of the state to combat drug and alcohol abuse, especially among Missouri youth.  ACT Missouri also serves at the state representative for national organizations such as SADD and The Partnership at Drugfree.org.

Contact Information:
Chelsea Billeck
MYAA Project Director
ACT Missouri
428 E. Capitol Avenue
Jefferson City, MO  65101
(573) 635-6669
cbilleck@actmissouri.org

Prescription Drug Monitoring Program in Missouri

A recent article in the New York Times has brought national attention to Missouri, but not necessarily for a good reason.  Missouri is the only state in the United States that does not have a Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP).  According to the National Alliance for Model State Drug Laws (NAMSDL), a PDMP is a statewide electronic database which collects designated data on substances dispensed in the state. The PDMP is housed by a specified statewide regulatory, administrative or law enforcement agency. The housing agency distributes data from the database to individuals who are authorized under state law to receive the information for purposes of their profession.

Prescription drug abuse is not something to take lightly.  The Medicine Abuse Project shows that 1 in 4 teens report having misused or abused a prescription drug at least once in their lifetime.  Studies have shown that when PDMPs are created and used the correct way, prescription drug abuse decreases. Opponents to a PDMP point to privacy concerns, while proponents argue that 49 other states have found a way to make it safe.

 
Source

ACT Missouri recently hosted a webinar from Coach Jim Marshall on the importance of Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs.  Coach Marshall uses his son’s story to teach on the importance of drug education in schools and prevention in communities. In his webinar, he talks about the importance of establishing a PDMP in Missouri, as well as what Missouri citizens can do. This webinar is archived, and available for viewing.

One of the points Coach Marshall stressed is the importance of participation in a PDMP being mandatory.  Before Maine made their PDMP mandatory in early 2014, only 40% of prescribers participated.  A recent article in the Bangor Daily News highlights Maine’s experience and shows the importance of PDMP’s. “The biggest impact of Maine’s and other [monitoring] programs has been to slow down and to prevent the most rapid escalation of overdose and death and abuse involving the opioids,” says John Eadie, director of the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Center of Excellence at Brandeis University.

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