How a Small Coalition Leveraged Resources to Protect Children
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How a Small Coalition Leveraged Resources To Protect Children
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How a Small Coalition Leveraged Resources to Protect Children
- 1. Slide 1 Advocacy and Elected Officials: How a Small Coalition Leveraged Resources to Protect ChildrenKim DayDeputy DirectorNational Children’s AllianceNovember 24, 20143:15 –4:45 PM ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ Slide 2 Tennessee Capitol ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ Slide 3 Agenda•Understand the impact legislative advocacy has on our elected representatives. •Review and learn keys to advocacy at all levels of government. •Discuss real life example of advocacy impacting change and creating the Commission to Eliminate Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities. ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________
- 2. Slide 4 What is Legislative Advocacy? •Advocacy can be challenging because there is no one set of instructions on how and where to begin, and what is effective. •Advocacy definitions are sometimes used interchangeably, which can blur their understanding. –For example, terms such as advocacy, lobbying and education are all used interchangeably. ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ Slide 5 Legislative Advocacy – Nonprofits•Nonprofit advocacy can mean different things to different people and is usually at the heart of an organization’s activities, strategies, mission, core values and overall effectiveness. •Advocacy is about speaking out and making the case for something important. •Everyone can be an advocate! ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ Slide 6 2009Summit to End Child Abuse & Neglect Deaths In America•150 child welfare experts from across the country•Developed recommendations to reduce CAN fatalities ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________
- 3. Slide 7 NCANDSChild Abuse and Neglect Deaths in U.S.? •Federal data: 18,548children died from 2001-2012•In 2012: 1,593children diedHow old were the victims? •79%of victims under 3 years of age•48%of victims <1 year ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ Slide 8 Unknown Scope of Problem of Fatal Maltreatment •Several studies: significant undercounting of maltreatment deaths; true number is several thousands more over 10 years•2,500+ CAN deaths in U.S. every year•7-8children are killed every day ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ Slide 9 Why Most Americans Do Not Know about 2,500 Deaths 1.Actual number of children who die is unknown2.National press limits its coverage to sensational and individual cases3.Confidentiality laws•Interfere with information gathering/sharing•Hinder public understanding•Shield elected officials ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________
- 4. Slide 10 Surveillance: Where Child Maltreatment Deaths are Registered and Counted•Death Certificates•State Child Abuse Reports Submitted to NCANDS•Police Records to Uniform Crime Statistics•State Child Death Review Data•Individual State Reporting Sources ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ Slide 11 Areas We do not Count/Respond to Well•Neglect•Poor supervision•Drug-exposed or FAS infants•Failure to thrive•Failure to use safety devices•Allowing developmentally inappropriate activities•Suffocation by overlay or positional asphyxia•Deaths occurring while caregiver is intoxicated•Caregivers with disabilities, impairments ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ Slide 12 How Cases are “Missed” •Lack of knowledge•Limited investigations•Failure to report by emergency departments•Different definitions and standards in states•Minimum federal standard•Lack of communication (CPS, law enforcement, medical examiner/coroner) ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________
- 5. Slide 13 Baby Albert•4 month old baby boy, born drug exposed. •Sleeping on couch with mom and dad, found at 2 am not breathing. •EMS responded, found both parents intoxicated and drug paraphernalia. •8 year CPS history on both parents, rights terminated on 4 other children. •Mother lost 2 children in a fire when a drug deal went bad-house was firebombed. ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ Slide 14 Death Certificate: Natural, SIDSLaw Enforcement: No reportCPS: Neglect, suffocationCDR: Accidental suffocation and neglect ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ Slide 15 Baby Steven•Child born drug exposed to cocaine, premature. •Birth mother had 10 other children removed at various points. •At two months, baby died due to respiratory distress, conditions related to perinatal conditions. •Baby severely underweight for age. •Baby had not had any other medical appointments since leaving hospital. •Mother actively using. ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________
- 6. Slide 16 Death Certificate: Natural, related to perinatal conditions. Medical Examiner: not notifiedLaw Enforcement: no reportCPS: Not reported ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ Slide 17 About Coalition Members ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ Slide 18 Coalition’s Approachto National Problem1.Elevate national attention/action to prevent CAN fatalities 2.Target efforts to lawmakers, the federal government and the public ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________
- 7. Slide 19 Lobbying: In-person meetings with Elected Officials•Elected officials can be visited on the job either in Washington, Nashville, City/County chambers or back home in their respective districts. •5 things to discuss when visiting elected officials: –Who you are and where you live–Group membership advocating for the issue being discussed–What you would like to discuss–Any action items–Leave-behind material about the topic ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ Slide 20 Accomplishments2010 •Met with the Government Accountability Office (GAO) as consultants for their study of Child Fatalities Associated with the Child Welfare System- get on the train•Released the second edition of the report We Can Do Better: Child Abuse and Neglect Deaths in America-educate•Held a press conference featuring experts from the five national member organizations, resulting in 25 national media stories on child abuse deaths-elevate attention•Held a briefing hosted by Sen. Susan Collins of Maine ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ Slide 21 Key Reports ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________
- 8. Slide 22 Accomplishments•Conducted congressional briefing with honorary sponsor Chairman David Camp (R-Michigan), of the Committee on Ways and Means•Worked with Senator John Kerry (D-MA) to develop language for the Protect Our Kids Act. The Act (S.1984) was sponsored by Senator Kerry and Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins. An identical bill was introduced in House (H.R. 3653) by Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ Slide 23 Lobbying: Writing your Elected Official•Elected officials pay attention to their mail! •Letters/emails to policymakers at all levels should: Be concise, informed and polite Be brief (1-2 pages, a few paragraphs) State your purpose in the first paragraph Include your full name and home address•If your letter is about a bill or specific policy: Cite the bill/policy Say whether you support/oppose the policy Speak from personal experience Ask for their views/help with issue ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ Slide 24 Lobbying: Calling your Elected Official•Elected officials also pay attention when individuals take time to call and express their views –and the same general rules for writing apply. •The federal government, and some states, have a toll- free line into their Capitol while they are in session. •The U.S. Capitol Switchboard toll-free numbers: –1-800-828-0498 /1-877-762-8762 /Or by directly calling 202-224-3121•To find contact information for your Tennessee elected officials, visit: http://www.capitol.tn.gov/legislators. ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________
- 9. Slide 25 National Spokesperson ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ Slide 26 Congressional Briefings and Hearings ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ Slide 27 Garnered Media Attention ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________
- 10. Slide 28 More media ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ Slide 29 Protect Our Kids Act of 2012The National Commission to Eliminate Child Abuse Fatalities•December 2011 Senator Kerry“Mr. President, Currently, the United States does not have a comprehensive strategy for addressing child abuse fatalities. We also lack a national standard for reporting these fatalities, leaving many of these deaths to be largely underreported. That is why today I am introducing the Protect Our Kids Act, which will establish the Commission to Eliminate Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities.” ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ Slide 30 National Endorsements•American Academy of Pediatrics•A Child Is Missing, Inc. •American Psychological Association•Alliance for Children and Families•American Professional Society for the Abuse of Children•Benedictine Sisters•Catholic Health Initiatives•Center for Public Policy Priorities•Children’s Advocacy Institute•Children Without A Voice USA•Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) •Coalition on Human Needs•Community Action Partnership•Council for Opportunity in Education•Every Child Matters Education Fund•First Focus•First Star•Franciscan Action Network•National Alliance of Children's Trust and Prevention Funds•National Association of Social Workers (NASW) •National Center for the Review and Prevention of Child D 2011 •National Child Protection Training Center•National Child Abuse Coalition•National Children’s Alliance•National Coalition to End Child Abuse Deaths•National Collaboration for Youth•Orthodox Catholic Church•Parents and Teachers Against Violence in Education•Prevent Child Abuse America•Sisters of Presentation•Sisters of Mercy of the Americas•Stop It Now! •United Methodist Women•Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom•World Knowledge Bank ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________
- 11. Slide 31 Protect Our Kids ActH. R. 6655AN ACTTo establish a commission to develop a national strategy and recommendations for reducing fatalities resulting from child abuse and neglect. ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ Slide 32 Lobbying? •Organizations shy away from direct lobbying of Congress because of a predisposed position that nonprofits are not allowed to lobby. •In fact, congress would like nonprofits and advocacy groups to help better educatethem on topics impacting their communities. ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ Slide 33 Lobbying! •Someone WILL educate them-who should that be? •20 % Rule•Direct impact ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________
- 12. Slide 34 Federal Lobbying Rules/ Disclosure•In 2007, Congress passed a law establishing new thresholds that determine what “is” a lobbyist and who must register at the federal level. •A person is required to register as a “lobbyist” if –(1) they have “more than one lobbying contact”; and –(2) their “lobbying activities” during a quarterly period constitute at least 20% of the individual’s time. •If the definition of “lobbyist” is met, the organization is only required to register if it spends more than $10,000 on lobbying activities. •Each state has its own separate rules related to lobbying. ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ Slide 35 Tennessee Lobbying Rules/ Disclosure•In Tennessee, a lobbyist is a person who paid to communicate, directly or indirectly, with state government officials for the purpose of influencing action. •The term lobbyist does not include an employee of a governmental entity. •Note:A third party contracted to lobby for governmental entity is included in the definition of lobbyist•For more info on lobbying rules and TN, visit: http://www.tn.gov/sos/tec/Lobbyist%20and%20Employers%20of%20Lobbyist/FAQ%20lobbyists%20Employers.html ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ Slide 36 Nonprofits and Lobby Registration•Federal lobbying rules have differentrequirements for nonprofit organizations. •The rules make a distinction between education and direct lobbying activities –with only direct lobbying requiring disclosure. •For example, if a nonprofit meets with a House or Senate member to educate them about CACs, or is called to testify on child abuse, neither action is considered lobbying activity. •However, meeting with Congress to advocate for our federal funding in the CJS appropriations bills is considered lobbying –at which point the previous rules on registration apply. ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________
- 13. Slide 37 114thCongress/ New TN Legislative SessionsAction items as we go forward: •Write a welcome letter to all new and returning elected officials (all levels) congratulating them on their win and introducing (or reintroducing) them to CACs. •Identify elected officials that are potential supporters for legislation. •Schedule follow-up in-person visit with member or staff to discuss CACs and our issues. •Consider a media strategy for editorials and letters to the editor. ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ Slide 38 Questions & AnswersAny questions? ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________