Getting Ready For

1

• Getting Ready For
• School Health Day at the Capitol
• Alice Ricks Salina Mendoza
• California School Health Centers Association

2
Objectives

• 1. Identify our goals for School Health Day.
• 2. Distinguish between advocacy and lobbying, and
  describe the advocacy and lobbying aspects of
  School Health Day.
• 3. Internalize and begin to personalize the
  message and ask for School Health Day.
• 4. Understand School Health Day logistics.
• 5. Share next steps for getting ready!

3
Why School Health Day at the Capitol

• Educate legislators about importance of school
  health services in improving student health and
  academic outcomes.
• Demonstrate value of school health services in
  legislators districts, as well as strength of
  school health movement.
• Explain to legislators how they can support and
  sustain school health services.
• Hear what legislators think about all this!

4
Why School Health Day at the Capitol

• Past Successes!
• 2003
• 2009
• countless legislative visits
• dozens of site visits
• youth advocates in action

5
Advocacy vs. Lobbying
Advocacy Lobbying
educating the public urging the public to ask legislators to take a specific position on a specific bill
organizing the public asking a legislator to take a specific position on a specific bill
holding a rally
getting to know legislators
educating legislators, including at public hearings
conducting research and sharing your findings
6
Advocacy LobbyingSchool Health Day at the
Capitol

• Lots of Advocacy
• explaining school health services
• describing their benefits
• sharing your success stories
• sharing your challenges
• talking, generally, about what legislators can do
• A Little Bit of Lobbying
• urging positions on bills
• providing handouts urging positions on bills

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Why School Health Day at the Capitol

• Questions?

8
The MessageSchool Health Day at the Capitol

• Health Impacts Learning.
• School Health Works.

9
The AskSchool Health Day at the Capitol

• Support the Health Care Safety Net
• maintain FQHC reimbursement rates
• protect Medi-Cal, Healthy Families
• Support Schools
• maximize K-12 funding
• vote for AJR 24, in support of the federal
  student-school nurse ratio act

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The AskSchool Health Day at the Capitol

• Advance School Health through HCR
• integrate school health services into
  patient-centered medical home model
• define school-based health centers as essential
  community providers
• include schools and school-based health centers
  in the Navigator program for outreach/enrollment

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Legislative Visit GuidelinesSchool Health Day at
the Capitol

• Open and Tell a Story
• Explain School Health Services
• Share More Information (district profile)
• Ask for Support and Close

12
The Message

• Questions?
• Ideas?
• What Will You Say?

13
LogisticsSchool Health Day at the Capitol

• Teams and Assignments
• Morning Preparation
• Visits to Offices
• Lunch and Wrap-Up

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Teams and Assignments

• Addresses
• Team Size
• Team Diversity
• Legislator Availability
• Crazy Spreadsheet
• Complex Logic Problem
• Dozens of Advocacy Teams
• Hundreds of Voices for Student Health

15
Morning Preparation

• Holiday Inn Capitol Plaza
• 800 arrive, register, get breakfast
• 830 get to know your team
• 840 hear policy updates, tips for
  advocacy, and SSPI Torlakson
• 940 prepare with your team
• 1020 make your way to the Capitol
• 1100 visits start (staggered schedule)

16
Visits to Offices

• One Visit (plus optional packet drop-offs)
• Scheduled between 11am and 2pm
• Legislator or Staffer
• Map of the Capitol

17
Lunch and Wrap-Up

• Share your Experience and Celebrate
• Capitol Cafeteria
• basement of old building
• reserved room for School Health Day
• open 11am 2pm
• 10 lunch coupon
• Evaluation Forms and Feedback Forms

18
Logistics

• Questions?

19
Next Steps

• Practice explaining what you do
• Come up with your stories
• Practice telling them to your friends
• Get excited to speak up at the Capitol

20
Concluding Thoughts

• Reflections?
• Tips?