Policy 201: Beyond a Bill

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Policy 201 Beyond a Bill Using the Policy
Process to Build the SHC Movement

• Beth Blacksin, Director, Government Relations,
  Advocate Charitable Foundation
• Liz Feldman, Medical Director, Advocate Illinois
  Masonic School-Based Health Centers
• Blair Harvey, Project Director, Illinois
  Coalition for School Health Centers
• NASBHC Annual Meeting
• June 26, 2008

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Presenter DisclosuresBeth Blacksin, Liz
Feldman, Blair Harvey

• The following personal financial relationships
  with commercial interests relevant to this
  presentation existed during the
• past 12 months

No relationships to disclose.
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Objectives

• Recognize ways to influence policy change and
  strategies to develop a campaign
• Identify effective ways to engage members in a
  campaign and how to counter conservative
  opposition
• Discuss how steps in a campaign contribute to
  building a movement and increasing awareness of
  the SHC model

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Session Outline

• Intro and overview of Illinois policy agenda
• Strategy to increase funding for SHCs
• Governors budget line item funding request
• Illinois SB715 how it became law
• Building a movement
• Discussion, QA

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Illinois Coalition for School Health Centers

• MISSION
• To improve the physical and mental health
  of children and adolescents in Illinois by
  fostering the development, stabilization and
  expansion of school health centers.
• GOALS
• Advocacy
• Program and Professional Development
• Education
• Networking

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• Illinois Coalition for School Health Centers
  formed in 1996
• Structure Steering Committee creates and directs
  strategic plan
• 3 working Committees carry out the work Public
  Education and Advocacy, Program Development and
  Evaluation, Conference Planning
• 50 centers in Illinois, 27 in Chicago
• State provides some funding for 39 out of 50 SHCs

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Policy Agenda

• Sustainability biggest challenge
• Level funding in the state since 2000
• No increase in state grants
• Over 50 communities interested in starting a SHC
• Laid the ground work to launch a full campaign

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Direct Action Organizing

• Win real, immediate, concrete improvement in
  peoples lives
• Give people a sense of their own power
• Alter the relations of power

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Blank Strategy Chart
Goals Organizational Considerations Constituents, Allies Opponents Decision Maker Tactics
Long Term Intermediate Short Term What do you have? What do you want? Internal Problems Constituents Allies Opponents Primary Decision Maker Secondary Decision Maker(s)
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Goals
Long Term What you really want. Ex. Safe affordable health care for all Intermediate What are you trying to win now. Ex a Patient bill or rights Short Term Steps to the Intermediate Goal Ex. Get bill out of committee Goals are always won from someone
Organizational Considerations
What resources can you put in? People Time? ? Be specific How will you build the organization? New members Money to raise Allies New Leaders How much? How many? Be specific. Internal Problems in the way? How to solve.
Constituency
Constituents Who is directly affected by the issue? Allies Who cares about the issue? What power do they have over the decision maker? How are they organized? Opponents Who will actively oppose you?
Decision Maker
The person who has the power to give you what you want? Secondary Decision Maker Someone over whom you have power, who has power over the Decision Maker Decision Makers always people, never an institution.
Tactics
What constituents do to Decision Makers to make them give you the goals. Petitions Letter writing Media events Rallies Public Hearings Group visits to Decision Makers Actions Accountability Sessions Marches Etc., Etc
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Gov Budget Strategy Chart
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SB715 Strategy Chart
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Lessons Learned

• Know and plan for your opposition
• Create and use key messages
• Educate your constituency on the message
• Ask the experts
• Be relentless
• Have a base to mobilize

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Building a Movement

• Leadership Development
• Internal and External
• Skills
• Visibility

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Leadership Development and Visibility

• Engaged and trained new members
• Deepened relationships with 7 SHCs in Southern
  Illinois and 5 more in Central Illinois
• Trained members and partners on messaging and
  campaign tactics
• Developed relationship with communities in the
  SHC planning stages
• Developed foundation for ICSHC Youth Advisory
  Council (YAC)
• Built stronger relationships with educational
  partners
• Strengthened skills of current leaders

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Leadership Development and Visibility

• Educated almost all of the General Assembly
  Members
• Identified 3 new legislative champions
• Strengthened relationships with strategic
  partners
• Including the State Board of Education, Illinois
  Public Health Association and the Lt. Governor

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Conclusions

• A victory is more then just winning, count every
  step along the way
• Dont forget to celebrate

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Illinois Coalition for School Health Centers

• 312-491-8161 bharvey_at_ilmaternal.org
• www.ilmaternal.org