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Washington Update - By Art Terrazas, Guila Todd & Dillon Harp
Now that the political campaigns are over, advocacy work truly begins
It’s probably safe to say that most of us are glad to have the election season behind us. The campaign
ads that seemingly played endlessly on TV, radio and Internet forced many of us to “disconnect,” and some of us probably wore out the mute buttons on our remote controls. But as the 2014 midterm elections pass into history, we need to realize that the advocacy work truly begins when the political campaigns end.
Now that the votes have been counted, successful candidates will be sworn into office and actually begin to govern. Congress will return to Washington to finish work on “must pass” legislation before the end of the year. Regardless
of whether a veteran lawmaker was re- elected or a new senator or representative will be serving the constituents in your area come January, please take this time to reach out to their staff and introduce yourself. Take advantage of the fact that a new session of Congress is beginning, and use this as an opportunity to build new relationships. As the saying goes, “You only get one chance to make a first impression,” so make the first impression count!
All of us should also begin to organize our respective public policy or advocacy committees for the new year. When engaging in this process, always feel free to contact the American Counseling Association’s government affairs staff about ways you can get involved in your state. Take time to find out if there was a change in who represents you, either at the state or federal level. You can find results of the recent elections at your secretary of state’s website.
It is important for you to begin creating relationships with these elected officials
as soon as you can. Many freshman legislators will begin to establish their own “kitchen cabinets,” or group of informal advisers, that will provide them with advice and guidance on the types
of legislation to introduce and support. Your input can be crucial in establishing positive results for counselors. If legislators don’t understand what you do, they won’t recognize the importance of counseling.
If you don’t tell elected officials about a problem, they can’t solve it.
As we reach out to federal lawmakers, we must remember to reach out to state officials as well. Many of the immediate issues facing counselors and counselor educators are influenced to a large degree by the actions of state officials and state licensing boards. So, in some instances, it is even more imperative to form relationships at the state level. Often, state legislators have smaller staffs and need more assistance in understanding the intricacies of a profession such as counseling. You can begin to shape the conversation when you realize that these newly elected (or re-elected) officials are searching for advice and guidance on these matters.
Talk to the leadership of your state counseling branch about getting involved with advocacy efforts as well. If your branch already has a committee or group that focuses on advocacy, ask how you can be of service. If your branch doesn’t have a dedicated advocacy group, be
the leader who volunteers to head one. Make sure an advocacy plan is in place for the new year so that you are ready to make visits or phone calls to advocate for your positions and thoughts when the legislative session starts. Also look
at ways that you can contribute to the public discussion on issues facing your state or community (for example, posting on news websites, sending letters to the editor or even hosting forums).
As you look for ways to “tell your story,” also know that ACA has your back. If you ever need specific research or data, feel free to contact ACA’s Department of Government Affairs and ask questions. We are here to serve as your support system and offer assistance. Although we want you to be the one reaching out to advocate, we can offer thoughts on how to organize and request a meeting with legislators, how to host events or how to reach out in other ways.
This is your government, so make sure that elected officials are representing
your best interests. They need to get information and advice from you in areas in which you are the expert. If you don’t take the time to reach out and speak to these elected officials, then it is hard to complain that the government doesn’t work for you. Legislators can’t help you if you don’t alert them to a problem and tell them how it needs to get fixed.
You hold more power to influence outcomes than you think. And one of the prime times to really begin making a lasting impression on these individuals is right now. u
10 | ct.counseling.org | December 2014