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HOW TO BE AN EFFECTIVE DISABILITY POLICY ADVOCATE

HOW TO BE AN EFFECTIVE DISABILITY POLICY ADVOCATE. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. Presentation. Bobby Silverstein Principal, Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville, PC Director Center for the Study and Advancement Of Disability Policy Email: Bobby.Silverstein@ppsv.com www.disabilitypolicycenter.org.

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HOW TO BE AN EFFECTIVE DISABILITY POLICY ADVOCATE

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  1. HOW TO BE AN EFFECTIVE DISABILITY POLICY ADVOCATE KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

  2. Presentation Bobby Silverstein Principal, Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville, PC Director Center for the Study and Advancement Of Disability Policy Email: Bobby.Silverstein@ppsv.com www.disabilitypolicycenter.org

  3. 1. HISTORICAL AND POLICY CONTEXT • TREATMENT OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES • Surveys, Profiles • Literature • CURRENT POLICY • Strengths • Inadequacies • WHY CHANGE IS NECESSARY • NATURE AND SCOPE OF NEEDED CHANGES

  4. 2. VALUES AND PRINCIPLES • Why important— • Helps bring coalition together • Helps guide decisions by coalition • Clarifies intent of policy • Difference Between Old Paradigm/Approach vs.New Paradigm/Approach of Disability Policy • Old—People with disabilities defective, vulnerable, in need of fixing • New—Disability is a natural part of the human experience

  5. 2. GOALS OF DISABILITY POLICY • EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY • FULL PARTICIPATION • INDEPENDENT LIVING • ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY

  6. 3. POLICY IS MADE IN A POLITICAL CONTEXT • POLITICS • POWER • SELF-INTEREST • COMPROMISE POSITIONS, NOT PRINCIPLES

  7. 4. NEEDS OF POLICY-MAKERS • Self-interest • Re-election • Status among peers • Status among interest groups • Time Pressures • Dependent on others for Advice

  8. 5. NEEDS OF STAFF • Promote and Protect Boss • Help in carrying out responsibilities: • Research--What’s real and what’s posturing • Fiscal estimates • ID key players • Draft viable policy options, report language, floor statements • Political strategy

  9. 6. ORGANIZED COALITION • Policymakers demand it • Source of Power • Cohesion • Supplements/assists staff • Synergy • Leadership

  10. 6. Organized Coalition (con’t) • Tasks • Vision • Political strategy • Policy development • Fiscal Analysis • Lobbying • Grassroots • Media • Intelligence (strength of opposition)

  11. 7. STRATEGIC PLAN • Planned spontaneity • Pre-meetings • Reality check • Why change is now possible • Vehicle • Nature and degree of opposition • ID key policymakers

  12. 7. Strategic Plan (con’t) • Frame the issue • Message (Branding) • Target Audience • Personalize the message • Dynamics of the debate • Fiscal estimate • Viable policy option

  13. 8. POWER OF PERSONAL STORIES • Telling personal stories in isolation ineffective • Must be tied to policy objectives and the message • Best stories demonstrate positive impact of policy intervention • Problem • Intervention • Problem addressed

  14. 9. LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPS & IMPORTANCE OF THE MESSENGER • Long-term relationships maximize influence • Who delivers the message more important than the message • Select best spokespersons (not necessarily the person with most impressive title) to contact policymaker • Select best policymaker to influence other policymakers

  15. 10. Strengths and Limitations • Put ego aside • Don’t over-commit (e.g., time and ability to produce) • Don’t agree to policy option when lack sufficient knowledge of consequences • Don’t agree to policy option on behalf of others when not authorized to speak for them

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