ADVOCACY:ADVOCACY:

A Process for your PassionA Process for your Passion

A Personal VisionA Personal Visionbyby

Richard KrzyzanowskiRichard KrzyzanowskiConsumer-Employee AdvocateConsumer-Employee Advocate

Center of Excellence / Orange County Health Care Center of Excellence / Orange County Health Care AgencyAgency

Who am I to Talk?Who am I to Talk?(Some of My Background & Experience)(Some of My Background & Experience)• Five years as a Patients’ Rights Advocate for Los Five years as a Patients’ Rights Advocate for Los

Angeles CountyAngeles County• Two years on California Association of Mental Health Two years on California Association of Mental Health

Patients’ Rights Advocates board of directors, Patients’ Rights Advocates board of directors, including as vice presidentincluding as vice president

• Four years on the LA County Commission on Four years on the LA County Commission on Disabilities, including as vice president and treasurerDisabilities, including as vice president and treasurer

• One year on board of directors of California Network One year on board of directors of California Network of Mental Health Clientsof Mental Health Clients

• Two years on Client & Family Leadership Committee Two years on Client & Family Leadership Committee of the California Mental Health Services Oversight & of the California Mental Health Services Oversight & Accountability CommissionAccountability Commission

• Shop Steward for Orange County Employees Shop Steward for Orange County Employees AssociationAssociation

• Two years At-Large Neighborhood Representative, Two years At-Large Neighborhood Representative, 8th Los Angeles City Council District Empowerment 8th Los Angeles City Council District Empowerment CongressCongress

The Value of ExperienceThe Value of Experience

• Over the years, I had my victories and Over the years, I had my victories and defeatsdefeats

• I made mistakes. In some cases, I didn’t I made mistakes. In some cases, I didn’t realize they were mistakes until later realize they were mistakes until later (sometimes much later). Live and learn!(sometimes much later). Live and learn!

• On occasion, I made enemies. Sometimes, On occasion, I made enemies. Sometimes, that was unavoidable but, at other times, that was unavoidable but, at other times, it was. Learning from these experiences it was. Learning from these experiences has (hopefully) made me a better has (hopefully) made me a better advocate. advocate.

A DefinitionA Definition(with assistance from Mr. Webster)(with assistance from Mr. Webster)

•ADVOCACY: The ADVOCACY: The ART ART of of speaking or writing in support of speaking or writing in support of something or some personsomething or some person

•Like all art, many Like all art, many skillsskills go into go into making it happen successfullymaking it happen successfully

Some Types of AdvocacySome Types of Advocacy

• Individual advocacyIndividual advocacy• Self-advocacySelf-advocacy• Collective advocacyCollective advocacy• Systems advocacySystems advocacy• AdversarialAdversarial• CollaborativeCollaborative• Process or Structural advocacyProcess or Structural advocacy• Informational or EducationalInformational or Educational

Some Workplace ExamplesSome Workplace Examples

Self-advocacySelf-advocacy: Seeking a “reasonable : Seeking a “reasonable accommodation” based on disability or accommodation” based on disability or personal situationpersonal situation

Other, more Other, more collectivecollective advocacy: Seeking advocacy: Seeking to improve workplace conditions for a to improve workplace conditions for a group, for example, speaking out for the group, for example, speaking out for the interests or rights of “peer professionals”interests or rights of “peer professionals”

Systems advocacySystems advocacy: Seeking to make or : Seeking to make or change policies to improve conditions or change policies to improve conditions or clarify proceduresclarify procedures

One Effective CombinationOne Effective Combination

Real Real systems changesystems change is often is often accomplished with a combination of accomplished with a combination of individualindividual or or self-advocacyself-advocacy with with systems advocacysystems advocacy. Even big . Even big changes can have a “human face!”changes can have a “human face!”

A Good Advocate is …A Good Advocate is …

… … a good a good strategist:strategist:

• What do you want to accomplish?What do you want to accomplish?

(Don’t just point out problems: Have (Don’t just point out problems: Have a solution to suggesta solution to suggest ) )

• How can we get it done?How can we get it done?

• Where do we start?Where do we start?

(It’s usually best to start at the (It’s usually best to start at the lowest levels, and work your way up)lowest levels, and work your way up)

On StrategyOn Strategy

• What is the next step?What is the next step?

• Know Know wherewhere to go to accomplish to go to accomplish your goals; andyour goals; and

• WhoWho has the power to make things has the power to make things happen?happen?

A Good Advocate is …A Good Advocate is …

… … a good a good communicator:communicator:

• Know your audienceKnow your audience

• Speak their “language”Speak their “language”

• Know their needs and valuesKnow their needs and values

• Know their culture or Know their culture or environmentenvironment

• Honor their time frameHonor their time frame

• And remember: And remember: The most important The most important communication skill is the ability to communication skill is the ability to LISTEN!LISTEN!

A Good Advocate is …A Good Advocate is …

… … a good a good collaborator:collaborator:• Advocates “with,” not “for” othersAdvocates “with,” not “for” others

(Take care not to disempower)(Take care not to disempower)• Who can help? Who do I need ‘on my Who can help? Who do I need ‘on my

side” to achieve this? side” to achieve this? (Make friends/allies, find common ground)(Make friends/allies, find common ground)

• Be a Be a “bridge builder!”“bridge builder!” (Create problem-solving relationships, (Create problem-solving relationships, even with those that seem like they are on even with those that seem like they are on “the other side”)“the other side”)

A Good Advocate is …A Good Advocate is …

… … a good a good diplomat:diplomat:• Put “principles over personalities”Put “principles over personalities”

(Remember, in the workplace, for example, (Remember, in the workplace, for example, that you will have a continuing relationship that you will have a continuing relationship with your bosses and colleagues, and you with your bosses and colleagues, and you want that to remain collaborative and civil, if want that to remain collaborative and civil, if not friendly)not friendly)

• Keep your perspective; focus on your goalsKeep your perspective; focus on your goals

(Don’t destroy the village in order to(Don’t destroy the village in order to

“ “save” it)save” it)

On DiplomacyOn Diplomacy

Your ability to occasionally Your ability to occasionally “agree to “agree to disagree”disagree” and to intelligently and to intelligently compromisecompromise can mean the difference can mean the difference between success and failure. between success and failure.

Be patient & think long-termBe patient & think long-term: A : A partial success today gives you a partial success today gives you a foundation for future advocacy that foundation for future advocacy that may achieve you full goals. Some may achieve you full goals. Some things take time and can only be things take time and can only be accomplished step-by-step.accomplished step-by-step.

Another Effective Another Effective CombinationCombination““Insider” vs. “Outsider;” A “one-two punch!Insider” vs. “Outsider;” A “one-two punch!• Advocacy on the outside of systems of Advocacy on the outside of systems of

power and bureaucracy has a freedom of power and bureaucracy has a freedom of movement and speech, and can focus its movement and speech, and can focus its message on what seems message on what seems rightright

• Advocacy from within systems requires more diplomacy, because advocates have to exist within a delicate web of power relationships. On the other hand, they may have more direct access to those with decision-making power. Such advocacy often focuses on what seems practical

Workplace cultureWorkplace culture

Is typically:Is typically:

• HierarchicalHierarchical

• UndemocraticUndemocratic

• Task-orientedTask-oriented

Advocacy in such an environment Advocacy in such an environment requires striking a requires striking a “delicate balance”“delicate balance” between the culture and needs of the between the culture and needs of the workplace and your needs and workplace and your needs and interests as a worker.interests as a worker.

Do your “Homework”Do your “Homework”

Know the Rules: In the workplace, this Know the Rules: In the workplace, this can be your company or agency’s: can be your company or agency’s:

• Code of ConductCode of Conduct

• Union Contract or MOUUnion Contract or MOU

• Human Resources policiesHuman Resources policies

• The Americans with Disabilities Act The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Fair Employment & Housing (ADA), Fair Employment & Housing Laws, and other federal and state Laws, and other federal and state Labor LawsLabor Laws

The Most Essential Tool: The Most Essential Tool: EthicsEthics

•This is your This is your Code of HonorCode of Honor, your , your values, the values, the “big picture”“big picture” principles that guide your lifeprinciples that guide your life

• It could be Recovery values or It could be Recovery values or spiritual values; They could be spiritual values; They could be drawn from your life experience drawn from your life experience or family, ethnic or professional or family, ethnic or professional traditionstraditions

You are Seldom AloneYou are Seldom Alone

• As this call aptly illustrates, we are part of As this call aptly illustrates, we are part of a “Community of Advocacy”a “Community of Advocacy”

• Whether you advocate as an individual or Whether you advocate as an individual or as part of a group; for yourself or for as part of a group; for yourself or for another; as a professional advocate, as a another; as a professional advocate, as a worker, or as a citizen: worker, or as a citizen: What you do and What you do and how you do it can reflect on us allhow you do it can reflect on us all

• Therefore, be considerate of your partners, Therefore, be considerate of your partners, seen and unseen, in the quest for justice seen and unseen, in the quest for justice and the common goodand the common good

Something to rememberSomething to remember

• There is power in advocacy, and we have There is power in advocacy, and we have a responsibility to use that power to serve a responsibility to use that power to serve others and the common goodothers and the common good

• Use you power to build, avoid destruction Use you power to build, avoid destruction for its own sake; help others grow and for its own sake; help others grow and succeed as individuals and collaborate as succeed as individuals and collaborate as coworkerscoworkers

• Find the common ground, and plant your Find the common ground, and plant your seeds!seeds!