Healthy Families America

	Network Resources: Peer Mentoring Network: Advocacy: Meeting with Legislators
	Peer Mentoring Network Innovative Strategies Regional Resource Centers Quality Assurance/ Credentialing Training State Systems Funding Events	Mentors Guiding Questions Additional Resources Mentors Wendi Clifton Prevent Child Abuse Georgia 1720 Peachtree St. NW, Suite 600 Atlanta, GA 30309 404-870-6565 404-870-6541 fax Email: wendic@preventchildabusega.org Gaylord Gieseke Voices of Illinois Children 208 S. LaSalle St., Suite 1490 Chicago, IL 60604-1103 312-516-5565 312-465-0088 Email: ggieseke@voices4kids.org Guiding Questions 1) Do you know what your legislator's key issues are? 2) Are you educated around how the state legislative process works? 3) Are you comfortable being bi-partisan? 4) Have you prepared: Brief, concise materials An "ask" - what your position is and what you want the legislator to do Relevant constituent information - how this directly impact the voters in his/her district Real world stories not just facts and figures 5) Do you have grassroots support on call to contact the legislator after your meeting? 6) Have you developed ways for your legislator to have a more substantial role, by being involved in your planning, fundraising, media activities, if he/she is particularly committed to the issue of child abuse prevention? Additional Resources The following groups offer guidelines for meeting with legislators: www.floridakids.org/site/article.php?52.255 www.badbills.com/lobbying_201.htm www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/10186.html Parents United for Public Schools offers advice on how to meet with your legislators: http://www.parentsunited.org/Meet.html www.democracyctr.org/resources/lobbying.html www.mainechildrensalliance.org/am/publish/article_21.shtml http://www.ounceofprevention.org/downloads/policy/Dos_and_Donts.pdf See also "Advocacy Technical Assistance."
Copyright 2003-2008 PCA America. All rights reserved. Healthy Families America is generously supported by the Freddie Mac Foundation, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, and Ronald McDonald House Charities. Healthy Families America is a trademark of PCA America.