Slide 1

Module Two Parliamentary Procedures and Advocacy

Chapter Two What is Advocacy?

Welcome to Module Two, Chapter Two, What is Advocacy? In this module, we will cover the topics of advocacy and how leaders participate in advocacy efforts, such as professional, personal, organizational and public issues.

Slide 2

Advocacy

An Important Facet of Leadership

One of my duties at ASRT is to help radiologic technologists develop personal advocacy skills and to assist the profession’s leaders in speaking to stakeholders about the issues facing the profession. R.T.s are often asked to advocate for their patients in the workplace, and being a skillful advocate can lead to new leadership opportunities and professional growth.

Slide 3

What Is Advocacy?

• Action that seeks to influence public policy and resource allocation decisions within political, economic and social systems and institutions.

• Motivated by moral, ethical or faith principles or simply to protect an asset of interest.

What is advocacy? It can be a single action or a series of actions, and it can take all sorts of forms. When people think of advocacy they may think of grass-roots advocacy. A good example of this is a group of individuals coming together to talk about raising money to cure breast cancer – this turned into the Susan G. Komen Foundation. It can be a group of people who adopt a certain philosophy to deal with a variety of issues – like the Tea Party. An advocacy action can be as simple as talking to a neighbor or colleague about a professional issue, or it can be as complicated as the 100-year effort to allow women to vote. In the definition on this slide there are two important words: action and motivated. Advocacy is action and you can’t be an advocate without taking action. Motivation is what compels you to take action. Advocacy doesn’t just spring up from not having something to do that day – it requires constant and consistent motivation. Another way of looking at motivation is to examine what inspires people to act.

Slide 4

Advocacy is

• Active promotion of a cause or principle.

• Involves actions that lead to a selected goal.

• One of many possible strategies or ways to approach a problem.

Advocacy can also be described as an active promotion of a cause or principle that involves actions that lead to a selected goal like curing cancer or passing legislation in an effort to promote the implementation of standards. We can also look at advocacy as one of many possible strategies or ways to approach a problem. Advocacy brings attention to the issue by identifying the problem and singling out the way to solve the problem.

Slide 5

Advocacy is

• Advocacy can be used as part of a organizational initiative, nested in with other components.

• Advocacy does not necessarily involve confrontation or conflict.

Advocacy can also be used as part of a organizational initiative, nested in with other components as part of a strategic plan or direction. The ASRT promotes advocacy to advance the profession along with affiliates, chapters and thousands of members of the profession. We all stand together to promote patient care, patient safety, best practices and advocate for the profession. In most cases, advocacy does not necessarily involve confrontation or conflict. Advocacy tactics can be used as a nonconfrontational way to show that others, just like you, have a common interest and would like to see a change.

Slide 6

Advocacy

Changes the “what it is” to “how it should be.”

• Strategies devised.

• Actions taken.

• Solutions proposed.

Advocacy works to change the “what it is” to “how it should be.” Advocacy represents the strategies devised, actions taken and solutions proposed to influence decision making at the local and state level.

Slide 7

Advocacy

■ The goal of advocacy is to create positive change for people and their environment.

So what is the main objective of advocacy? What is the end goal? The goal is to create positive change for people and their environment. Advocates are usually people who are passionate about their cause and believe in the goal.

Slide 8

What Inspires Advocacy?

• Moral principles.

• Social or group need.

• Desire for change.

• Redress of grievances.

• Protection.

Many things can inspire advocacy efforts. Moral principles surrounding a law that some view as not moral or ethical, a group’s need or a social need like health care coverage for everyone or perhaps a strong desire for change that impacts a particular group like the Americans with Disabilities Act. Improvements to issues like this can inspire people to advocate for a cause. Sometimes advocacy efforts surround a particular grievance like the push for women’s rights. Advocacy efforts were on display when individuals worked to secure equal rights for women voters. They advocated for the cause and won. Protection of rights can also inspire advocacy. The American Cancer Society advocates for the protection of a cancer patient’s continued insurance coverage during cancer treatments and has initiated many successful advocacy efforts throughout the years including the coverage of screening exams like mammograms and colonoscopies.

Slide 9

Types of Advocacy

• Workplace - Safety.

• Patient – Bill of Rights and HIPAA.

There are many types of advocacy efforts surrounding particular groups that because of social, professional or life circumstances. Employees of a particular industry may advocate for safer working conditions like the people who worked in factories during the industrial development period of the United States. Advocacy certainly helped protect the rights of workers in the field of radiology since there are federal rules and guidelines adopted to protect workers who are exposed to radiation as part of their profession. The patient’s bill of rights is an example of a recent development that was designed to protect patients. It was created as a result of advocacy efforts by those impacted by unfair treatment in health care settings. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act is also an example of a protection of patient rights. The right for a patient to expect privacy when receiving health care is a right we can all identify with.

Slide 10

Types of Advocacy

• Personal – Acting on your own personal interests.

• Professional – Advance your profession.

• Organizational – Organization’s mission or a specific issue.

Personal advocacy is best demonstrated when someone is acting to benefit their own personal interest. An example of this is a social cause that impacts individuals personally like the right to bear arms. This right is controversial and seems to spark a very personal reaction and is often a political lightning rod during elections. People are usually passionate about this topic no matter what side of the fence they are on. Professional advocacy is related to actions to advance your profession. Like the CARE bill and the protection of the scope of practice for a medical imaging science professional. Organizational advocacy encompasses efforts to promote your organization’s mission or a specific issue. We will go into more detail about this type of advocacy and what it means.

Slide 11

Organizational Advocacy

• Structured activity.

• Focused on a single issue.

• In the corporate charter.

• Monetary benefit to the organization.

• Encourages wider participation.

Organizational advocacy is most frequently structured as an activity that is focused on a single issue that members of the organization have a stake in. Usually language is included in the corporate charter or the guiding documents like the bylaws that discloses what the purpose of the organization is. What are they trying to advance? You can find it in the guiding documents. Many times in organizational advocacy, it may have a substantial monetary benefit to the organization as in the case with an organization like the AARP. Organizational advocacy works to encourage wider participation in public life and allows people to engage in the political process. It is a way to voice an opinion and to stand up for one’s beliefs in a unified group, not just as an individual.

Slide 12

Organizational Advocacy

• Provides valuable information.

• Educates governmental departments.

• Specialists with knowledge in their field.

Organizational advocacy also provides valuable information to governmental departments. This happens because organization representatives are considered to be specialists and have in-depth knowledge about their field. When specialists in a field are advocates, they also work to educate others about their field and why they are asking for change or laws to be passed. There is no one better to speak about patient safety in radiation than those who are the front line providers of care. Their perspective on what is working or not working, and why, adds to the credibility of the conversation.

Slide 13

What Leads to Successful Organizational Advocacy?

• The cause.

• The power of the advocates.

• The research on the issues.

• The opposition.

• The climate of opinion.

There are many aspects of a successful organizational advocacy effort. The virtue of the cause is an indicator of the success of an advocacy effort. If the organization can make a case for taking action by showing the clear connection between the negative impact of not acting and the positive impact of acting, the cause is usually more successful. A cause that is compelling and impacts many can definitely be a motivator for action. The power of the advocates is another key in success. As we all know, having lots of support from many advocates is much better than less support from a few. Also, who the advocates are can bring more legitimacy to an issue. Advocacy efforts from the constituents who have been directly affected holds a higher level of credibility in an advocacy initiative. The thoroughness with which the advocates researched the issues and opinions of the opposition can also make or break an advocacy effort. Take a look at the opposing view and research for ways to discount their argument. Are there any holes? Fill them in with your research and opposing view. The political climate surrounding the issue can also impact advocacy. A controversial topic where the political climate is in favor of your advocacy efforts can aid in success. If you stand on the side of the less favored viewpoint, you could be in for a long haul.

Slide 14

Keys to Successful Organizational Advocacy

• Skill in using the advocacy tools available.

• The selection of effective strategies and tactics.

The tools an organization uses in developing its advocacy efforts, including the media, have a big impact on the success of the effort. Timing of messaging, the type of messaging and the media vehicle chosen to deliver the messaging are all key aspects in advocacy. The ASRT uses a message-delivery product that makes advocacy efforts easier to manage and creates messages that look professional and are relatively easy to develop. The ASRT also uses its in-house publications and other national publications to spread its messages. Newspaper articles, websites, social networking sites, mass e-mails and traditional mailed collateral pieces are all tools available in advocacy efforts. Above all, the strategies and tactics you develop to get your message out are the most important elements in a successful advocacy plan. A plan has to be formulated that designates the timing, content and targets of the messaging for maximum effectiveness. The message has to go to the right person, at the right time via the right media.

Slide 15

Quiz Break

Do you need a lobbyist to engage in advocacy?1) Yes2) No

Let’s go over a couple of questions and misconceptions about advocacy. The first is: Do you need a lobbyist to engage in advocacy? The answer is no. Any U.S. citizen can engage in advocacy efforts. A lobbyist is a paid professional who is an expert and specializes in advocating for groups. In the U. S. constitution there are no requirements listed that only lobbyists can engage in advocacy.

Slide 16

Quiz Break

Is a person’s right to advocate guaranteed in the Constitution?

A. Yes

B. No

Is a person’s right to advocate guaranteed in the Constitution? The correct response is yes. The Constitution does guarantee a person’s right to advocate through the Bill of Rights. Each day, you can see this process in action as hundreds of association members go to Washington, D.C., to lobby for their causes.

Slide 17

Advocacy in Your Affiliate

A Vital Part of Your Affiliate’s Mission

Next let’s move on to the affiliate’s role in advocacy. Each ASRT affiliate should view its role as an advocate for the profession high on the list of priorities. Advocacy is a vital part of establishing the value in the affiliate membership at the state and local level. If you are not using advocacy in your affiliate, you are missing a great opportunity to engage members and demonstrate value.

Slide 18

Why Advocacy?

The purpose of ASRT shall be:

• To advance the professions of radiation and imaging disciplines and specialties.

• To maintain high standards of education.

• To enhance the quality of patient care.

• To further the welfare and socioeconomics of radiologic technologists.

So what makes advocacy so important to the affiliates? Each ASRT affiliate's purpose as outlined in its bylaws defines the reason for its existence as: The purpose of ASRT shall be to advance the professions of radiation and imaging disciplines and specialties; to maintain high standards of education; to enhance the quality of patient care; and to further the welfare and socioeconomics of radiologic technologists. Advocacy supports these actions to advance, enhance and further members of the profession on a socioeconomic level since the laws that are passed can impact the profession and the individual’s livelihood.

Slide 19

Why Should My Organization Engage in Advocacy Efforts?

• Practice defined by rules and regulations put in place by the government.

• Duty to represent your profession. • Promote, enhance and defend professional

standards.• Strong grass-roots advocacy program is a

member benefit.

Affiliates should engage in advocacy efforts for many reasons. Practice is defined by rules and regulations, often put in place by the government. Protection of professional “turf” is done by those willing to stand up for the scope of practice when pending legislation threatens to encroach. Affiliates have a duty to represent the member’s profession before those entities that regulate or set standards for it. Affiliates need to promote, enhance and defend professional standards. R.T. practice is most often defined at the state level through licensure or regulation, and the affiliates are best positioned to have greater influence at the local level. Remember, local constituents, not large national organizations, can have credibility with legislators. The large organizations sometimes don’t have the same pull as constituents do. Having a strong grass-roots advocacy program will assist in fighting off challenges to established regulations and promoting change to bad policy. Strong professional advocacy programs are marketable assets for your association since they should be marketed and promoted to your members as a tangible benefit of membership. Advocacy can answer the question “What have you done for me lately?”

Slide 20

Communication is key. A strong advocacy effort is based around several factors.

• Message – What needs to be communicated?• Timing – When do you do it?• Action – What action do you want others to

take?• Feedback – What was the response and the

outcome?

As with any program, communication is key. A strong advocacy effort is based on consistent communication, and there are several steps involved in launching a communications plan. •Think about the message. What needs to be communicated? •Maximize your timing. When do you do it? •Cleary state the action. What action do you want others to take? •Ask for feedback. What was the response and the outcome? Did you achieve the result you wanted ? If not, go back again and revise, retrain and reignite your advocates.

Slide 21

How to Communicate?

• Based on the urgency of the message.

• The message needs to come from one source.

• Supporting background information.

When you are formulating your plan, think about communicating the urgency of the message and actions that need to be taken. Phone or e-mail are often the best tactics when the messaging is urgent. To keep consistency, the messaging should come from one source. Supporting information that describes the background of the issue is also important to include in your efforts. A well thought out plan that is consistent and united will aid in advocacy efforts and create synergy for your affiliate.

Slide 22

Materials To Help Your Members Communicate the Message

• Short, concise and visually attractive talking points.

• Host advocacy events and training.

• Contact lists of lawmakers.

Develop short, concise talking points that are visually attractive. Also, make sure to leave collateral materials with lawmakers so they can review them after your visit. Advocacy events and training before the efforts begin are great ways to make sure everyone is on the same page and the messaging is consistent. Show your members how to determine who to contact and how to best communicate with lawmakers.

Slide 23

Activity Ideas

• “XSRT Day in Capitol City.”

• Radiology department tours for lawmakers.

• “Screening” day (e.g., bone density).

• Medical imaging health fair.

• Advocacy training event.

Here are some ideas for your affiliate’s advocacy efforts. •Host an annual event during your state’s legislative session. An event like “XSRT Day in Capitol City” will raise visibility for your profession. •Invite lawmakers to tour your radiology department. •Sponsor a “screening” day (e.g., bone density) or a medical imaging health fair. •Host an “advocacy training” session during your next annual conference or meeting.

Slide 24

Resources

• The ASRT Government Relations Department.

• Other advocacy groups.

The ASRT can provide you a number of resources to help you in your advocacy efforts. It’s OK to borrow from the best sources (AARP, American Cancer Society, ASRT). Advocacy can take a lot of time and resources, but it doesn’t have to be expensive

Slide 25

Wrap-Up

• Advocacy HAS to part of your organization’s mission.

• Strong advocates become strong leaders and build strong affiliate societies.

Advocacy HAS to part of your organization’s mission. Strong advocates become strong leaders and build strong affiliate societies. Thank you for taking this topic seriously. We look forward to working with you. Please complete the assignments for this module and proceed to Module Three.