Community Blog

The Illinois Department of Insurance recently launched the new Illinois Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (IPXP).  The plan is designed for uninsured people with HIV and other preexisting conditions (including hepatitis, cancer, diabetes, heart disease and others).  Because the plan is federally subsidized, the premiums are much more affordable than other high-risk insurance plans.  This is one of the first provisions of the federal health reform law that is helping people who are uninsured.

The Sunlight Foundation has a great piece up on their blog about re-thinking that ubiquitous piece of 21st-century non-profit communication known as 'the advocacy email.'

Many of us working in non-profit/organizing/public policy world receive dozens of advocacy emails everyday, all bearing a remarkably similar format and asking us to complete a remarkably similiar task: read this background information and click here to take action.

So - its not entirely surprising that a few people would find this way of doing things somewhat...dull.

Check out the Sunlight Foundation blog to read how one email recipient, pushed to the brink, shared his ideas on an alternative way to format advocacy emails.

Last week, Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) sent a letter to key members of the Senate Appropriations Committee urging them to do more to address the ADAP crisis.  These kinds of communications among members of Congress are a key way to influence decision making. 

But where do these letters come from and how does a member of Congress decide in which issues to engage?  Behind each 'Dear colleague' letter there is a story of legislator engagement, education, and relationship building.

Carl Schmid, Deputy Executive Director of The AIDS Institute, was one of the advocates involved in working with Sen. Nelson's staff to generate this letter and kindly agreed to answer a few questions for Dose of Change.

Dose of Change: Sen. Bill Nelson recently sent a letter to the several key members of the Senate Appropriations Committee advocating for a more aggressive response to the ADAP crisis.  What role do these kinds of letters play in an overall advocacy strategy?

Carl Schmid: For positive change to happen, in this case additional money for ADAP, we need members of congress to speak up.  Sen. Nelson is doing that with his letter to Senate Appropriation leaders.  Appropriators react to many pressures, both inside and outside of the Congress, if no Senators speak out, then it would be difficult to get the additional resources.  In the end you have to have advocates amongst the decision makers to carry your message.

DOC: What role did advocates play in the development of this letter?

CS: As a Florida based organization, we have been meeting with Sen. Nelson’s office for a number of weeks to discuss the ADAP situation, which is particularly in bad shape in Florida.  Additionally, people living with HIV/AIDS in Florida, particularly Michael Rajner, had the opportunity to personally discuss the problem with the Senator who said he would help solve it.  Michael, I and others have continued to be in communication with his office, but it was really the advocates in Florida who made it happen.

DOC: What advice do you have for advocates looking to enlist this kind of support for their members of Congress?

CS: It would be great for advocates in other states to do the same.  We really need it.  There is only so much a DC advocate can do.  Members of Congress really react to their constituents.  Advocates must be vocal and persistent; action does not happen overnight.  You have to continue to push and present your facts and your asks.  In this case, it was a great combination of state and federal advocates working together. 

For individuals or groups looking to dive into the world of advocacy, the list of initial questions one must consider before taking the plunge can at times seem daunting. 

Is my agency legally allowed to lobby elected officials?

How do I go about forming a coalition?

What issues do we focus on?

How do we measure success?

If you are asking yourself one or more of these questions, you should take a look at this presentation.  It covers a lot of the most commonly encountered considerations eager advocates face.

Check it out.

Sex Ed is once again making headlines in the wake of the federal government's recent announcement of two wildly different sex education funding opportunities for states.  The first, called Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP), funds comprehensive, evidence-based sex ed programming.  The second, called Title V, funds abstience-only programming that has been proven ineffective.

As advocates mobilize around pressuring state officials to accept PREP funding over ineffective Title V funds, one website has been providing a forum for young people to engage directly in the conversation.

And engage they have.

When you arrive at Amplify Your Voice, a project of Advocate's for Youth, the page just screams interaction.  Readers are immediately presented with an active blog and countless opportunities to take part in the conversation via social networking sites (and with almost 2,000 fans on Facebook - the are certainly taking part.)

Take a look!

Election season is upon us again and it’s time for your organization to get loud! Non-profit groups can and should get involved in election and policy advocacy, and there are really simple ways your agency can start today. Come to learn the easy-breezy steps you can take to make advocacy an every-day part of your organization!

Topics include:
-Nonprofits and the law – dos and don’ts
-Easy-bake advocacy: simple steps to make advocacy easy at your agency
-The election is coming!  How to register folks to vote without breaking the law
-and more!

SPC Policy/Advocacy Committee Meeting

August 19th

4-6pm

AIDS Foundation of Chicago

200 W Jackson, #2200

RSVP Required

'The social determinants of health'

Its a ten dollar phrase that many of us working in AIDS advocacy have become increasingly accustomed to hearing in recent years.  In many ways, this reflects the welcomed trend of social science and public health researchers deepening their understanding of what many community health advocates have known intuitively for some time: a person's environment and social context affect their health. 

In the context of HIV, this means where a person lives and works, and who they are, can impact their risk for HIV infection or the treatment outcomes of those already living with HIV/AIDS.  We're learning more and more about how people are interconnected with their environment and its becoming increasingly necessary to educate the public and policy makers about the importance of relfecting this increased understanding in how we address health in our communities.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation recently developed materials aimed at helping all of us do just that.  Check out this great guide, slides, and webinar recording reporting on the results of in-depth research into effective messages on the social determinants of health.

Kudos to the Illinois Department of Corrections for trying a new HIV and hepatitis treatment system!  AIDSConnect looks forward to learning more about this project. Read all about it.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 27, 2010
   
Interagency Agreement between IDOC & UIC Will Treat Medical Issues
“Pilot Program has Successful Launch in Treatment of HIV and Hepatitis C.”
   

CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Corrections and University of Illinois at Chicago are partnering on a new Telemedicine Pilot Program designed to bring elaborate and sophisticated healthcare to inmates with HIV and Hepatitis C.  This interagency pilot program successfully rolled out at three sites: Danville, Lincoln and Robinson Correctional Centers.

But what about everything else?

WHEW! Illinois AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) clients and AIDS advocates breathed a sigh of relief on July 16. State public health officials announced that day that Governor Quinn had allocated enough state funding to avoid an ADAP waiting list or major cost containment. THANK GOVERNOR QUINN!

But will people with HIV have access to housing and care programs that help them connect to ADAP and stay healthy? Will people at risk of HIV be able to turn to HIV prevention programs to help them stay negative? Last year, these programs were cut by over $7 million. Make sure they’re not cut again!

There’s a small window of opportunity for Gov. Quinn to make sure people with HIV have housing and services to help them access medical care and to ensure that HIV prevention programs are adequately funded. Tell Governor Quinn: Thanks for funding ADAP… don’t forget community programs!

Dose of Change intern-extraordinaire, Lili Gecker, checks-in with this great find from Global Voices Advocacy.

Twitter, Facebook, Myspace—these websites aren’t just for social networking, they can also help your online advocacy campaign. By engaging a variety of online strategies, or crossposting, you can raise awareness, promote your message, attract new supporters and maximize outreach.

Check out this guide to learn more.