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
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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
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Question
• How do we create policy change to address a community issue?
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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?
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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?
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Goal
• Develop a consensus on the issue
(an understanding and agreement)
– General Public
– Constituencies
– Decision Makers
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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
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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
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Develop Tools • Press list
• List Serve
• Printed materials
• Legislative packets
• Mailing List of community leaders
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• Distribution lists
• Web site
• Research
• Spokespersons
• Response mechanism
• Regular meetings
Identify Venues/ Opportunities
• Press Releases
• Press Events
• Public hearings
• Public meetings
• Editorial board meetings
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Identify Venues/ Opportunities
• Opinion Editorials
• Speeches to organizations
• Meetings with legislators
• Meetings with organization leadership
• Training of new leadership
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Expand
85% Rule
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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