Coalition Building and Advocacy to Improve Oral Health in Texas

Patti Everitt, Executive DirectorChildren’s Defense Fund in Austin, Texas

512-480-0990

Texas Oral Health Summit:

Advocacy, Equity & Access

Austin, Texas

September 9-10, 2004

1

Children’s Defense Fund

• National children’s advocacy organization

• State offices in Texas: Austin, Houston, Rio Grande

Valley 

• Issues: children’s health, quality child care, family

economic security 

• Activities: Policy, Research, Public Education, Advocacy

2

Question

• How do we create policy change to address a community issue?

3

Key Questions • Who can make the decision to change policy? 

• What/who will influence their decision?

• Do they understand the issue? Are they well-informed?

• Why should they care?

• Does it affect their district?

• Who is for it? Against it?

• Who profits from the issue?

• Who wins/who loses?

• Who cares about the issue?

4

Key Questions

• Who are your logical allies?

• What data/research is available on the issue?

• How well is the community informed?

• Is there a core constituency?

• Is the issue well defined?

• Is there agreement on the issue?

• What is the call to action? What is the success?

• Is this a temporary or on-going issue?

5

Goal

• Develop a consensus on the issue

(an understanding and agreement)

– General Public

– Constituencies

– Decision Makers

6

First Steps

• Take an inventory

• Convene core constituency and create a group

• Define the issue

• Determine the call to action

• Write a statement and/or principles

7

Next Steps

• Create a way to support the issue– Sign-on forms– Endorsements– Resolutions

• Create a coalition of supporters

• Identify key leadership for the issue

• Determine what data is available/needed

• Agree on key messages

• Develop a strategy

8

Develop Tools • Press list 

• List Serve

• Printed materials

• Legislative packets

• Mailing List of community leaders

9

• Distribution lists

• Web site

• Research

• Spokespersons

• Response mechanism

• Regular meetings

Identify Venues/ Opportunities

• Press Releases

• Press Events

• Public hearings

• Public meetings

• Editorial board meetings

10

Identify Venues/ Opportunities

• Opinion Editorials

• Speeches to organizations

• Meetings with legislators

• Meetings with organization leadership 

• Training of new leadership

11

Expand

85% Rule

12

Elected Officials

All politics are local: 

• How will the issue affect their district?

• Their constituents must let them know they care

• Visits: local and state support

• Local data

13

Examples of Advocacy • 911 Commission

– Released sections of report– Traveling U.S. to build support

• Travis County Hospital District– Judge called the issue– Task Force appointed– Call to action determined 

• Oral Health Listening sessions:– Issues defined– Core constituencies identified

14

Campaign to Restore CHIP

• Determined call to action

• restore CHIP eligibility and benefits

• Created sign-on form & resolutions

• Created Coaltion to Restore CHIP

• 233 organizations; 2500 individuals

• Demonstrates broad based support

15

Campaign to Restore CHIP

• Expanded support & endorsements

• Business organizations, elected officials

• Identified local coordinators

• Developed Key Contacts for Campaign

• 40 most interested constituencies (on-going)

• Regular conference calls & meetings

16

Campaign to Restore CHIP

• Identified sub-issues• Local impact of CHIP cuts

• Hospital district deficit

• Tax rate

• Increased cost of ER vs. preventive

• Impact on families

• Loss of federal funds

• Benefits loss• Dental

• Vision

• Asset test

17

Campaign to Restore CHIP

• Created tools• Family story form• List serve

• Research • CHIP Family Survey Project• Survey of dental providers• Comparison to other states• City of Mission Study

• Public Education• Press Releases• Speeches

18

Campaign to Restore CHIP

• Agenda for Sept – December• Local coordinators in additional cities

• Additional sign-ons

• CHIP Congress in Nov 5

• Children’s Sabbath: Texas Healthy Child Weekend for CHIP: Enroll.Renew.Restore.

• Legislative packets and visit

• Policy briefing letters to opinion makers & decision makers

• Press

19