Making Your Case

Commission ofDeaf, DeafBlind and

Hard of Hearing Minnesotans

With MCDHH Executive Director Mary Hartnett and

Trudy Suggs of T.S. Writing Services

Purpose of Presentation

Build on the great success of Massachusetts- ASL Laws, Interpreter Laws, Telecommunications, Preventing Budget Cuts, Deaf Child’s Bill of Rights

Learn about the Minnesota Experience and apply lessons learned from case studies

Learn the skills and strategies needed to increase influence in public policy

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What is Public Policy?

Public policy is the set of decisions that we make at every level of government about how money is spent and the rules we live by.

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Congratulations on Your Recent Success

Not only have did you prevent budget cuts, but this year you are asking for money to be restored!

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Commission of Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing Minnesotans (MCDHH)

Is a governor-appointed commission advocating for and with people who are deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing

Successful advocacy happens: By people themselves Through alliances With clear and driven goals

How we operate

Policy and advocacy goals set by diverse stakeholders in the community who drive the process.

Develop a strategic plan every 5 years: survey, interview key stakeholders and hold focus groups.

Priorities set, plan developed.

Legislative proposals presented and reviewed yearly.

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Funds for transition program for transition aged youth.

Minnesota Employment Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Technology Standards

Captioning for Greater MN

Candidates who receive public financing must caption their ads

Examples of Legislation

EHDI Mandate

Deaf Mentors for Families

Parent Guides for Familes

Hearing aid loaner bank

Mandated Coordinator in Dept of Education for children birth to 3

Mandate for data collection on outcomes for d/hh/db kids and and improvement plan

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Example Minnesota educational interpreter certification law: Background

1994: Educational interpreting law Seven years for implementation From 4 to over 300 interpreters School districts and some interpreters

resisted.

2007: A Deaf person requests removal of language

Minnesota educational interpreter certification law: Strategies

Strategies: Establish clear goals Meet with each legislator and bill

author Check with all stakeholders Meet with union representative

Result: SUCCESS!

Testifying: What worked?

Understand the rules Approaching legislators

Be persistent Be visible during hearings

Know who you’re talking to Learn about legislators and

their backgrounds

Lessons learned: Educational interpreting law

Always have an eye—or 20—on existing and new legislation.

Ensure all parties involved have accurate information.

Have solid alliances and networks in place.

Know who to contact.

Be prepared.

Making Your Case course

Produced by MNCDHH

Created by ZenMation T.S. Writing Services Digiterp Communications

Signed by Deaf narrators

Is based on curriculum for other disability groups

Contains seven modules Information Activities Case studies

Let’s get started!

Module 1: Getting Started

Module 2: Changing the System

Module 3: Building Your Case

Module 4: Making Your Case in Writing

Module 5: Making Your Case In Person

Module 6: Keeping It Going

Module 7: Conclusion

Ten-step advocacy process

1. Identify your issue.

2. Develop your story.

3. Define your request.

4. Get the facts.

5. Find allies.

6. Get to the right person.

7. Choose your tactics.

8. Create a detailed plan.

9. Take action.

10.Keep it going.

Course objectives

Understand how public policy is made and who makes it

Understand the advocacy process and apply it to your situation

Tell your story in writing and in person

Know how to identify the policymakers who can help bring about the changes you need

Write effective letters and e-mails

Conduct meetings with policymakers

Give effective testimony and answer questions

Work with others to tackle community issues

How to tell your story: Which is better?

Option 1: My son needs more special education services.

OR

Option 2: My creative, inquisitive son Mickey is deaf. He’s a math whiz but he can’t explore ways to use this because there is a math club at his school but the school won’t provide an interpreter for this after-school activity.

What’s your story?

A good story: Introduces you and your family. Focuses on one thing. Explains your situation. Has enough details to make it interesting. Includes only information that relates to the

situation or your goal. Reminds the policymaker that you are a

constituent. Captures your emotion and passion for an

issue. Asks for a specific action to correct the

situation.

Face-to-face meetings

99% of Congressional staffers believe personal meetings influence decisions.1

Ask for support.

Explain your case.

Personalize an issue by sharing your story.

Educate the policymaker.

Invite the legislator to be involved.

Respond to and/or evaluate the policymaker’s stance.

1 Source: Communicating with Congress: How Capitol Hill is Coping with the Surge in Citizen Advocacyhttp://www.cmfweb.org

Providing testimony

Be prepared.

Meet with interpreters beforehand.

Keep it short.

Follow protocol.

State your position upfront, then restate it.

Personalize the issue.

Use facts.

Request a specific action.

Have a written version available.

Do not read straight from your paper.

Don’t repeat other people’s comments if possible.

Watch meetings and hearings in advance to get an idea.

As e-government services increased, employment for people with disabilities in state government decreased over a 10-year period, from 10% to 4%

Met with IT and employees with disabilities.

Governor didn’t support the change.

Accessible E-government services

Videos produced by the state not captioned.

Live-streamed legislative hearings were not captioned.

Documents and software for citizens and state employees were not accessible to blind and DB.

The state online job application site was not accessible.

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Funds for live captioning online for legislature

Funds for state CIO

Funds to teach how to make products accessible

Received funds for ASL video production- a WCAG 2.0 requirement

Results

Making Your Case

Health Care Rights Video

Capitol Accessibility Serieshttp://www.mncdhh.org/capitol-access/#access-ASLVideo

Video Captioning Essentials

Accessible Word Webinar

Accessible Website Webinar

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Keep it going

Keep the momentum going

Register to vote

Participate in community organizing

Stay updated

Ways to organize the community: Coalitions Media Internet Rallies Petitions Communications Public hearings Political involvement

Recent examples

Medicaid coverage for outpatient mental health services for deaf youth

We notify of email:http://www.mncdhh.org

Vlog http:

Twitter

Facebook

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Reminders for working with policymakers

Be prepared.

Avoid being negative and focus on the solution.

Focus on the issues, not personalities.

Your reputation is important.

Be polite even if you disagree.

Be patient with the process.

Know who your opponents are.

Be generous.

Continue to communicate.

Make sure you are registered to vote. 

EHDI

Deaf Mentors

EHDI Mandate

EDHI Committee must have deaf members

EHDI Coordinator Department of Ed

Hearing Aid Loaner Bank

Parent to Parent Guides

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Group activity: Signing bus drivers

Group A: Argue in favor of requiring bus drivers to be fluent in ASL and/or having a supervisor on the bus

Group B: Argue against this requirement

Be sure to: Discuss strategies Identify allies and opponents

Training Legislative staff

Every two years we train legislative staff on how to make the capitol accessible to people who are deaf

Training on Deaf Culture, how best to communicate with people who are hard of hearing and deafblind

They love it!

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Civic Engagement

Each election year we apply for and receive funds for voter out reach from the Secretary of State

Voter Registration Drives

Deaf, Hard of Hearing Day at the Twins/Voter Registration

Collaborate with nonprofits to provide captions/interpreters for candidate debates

DeafBlind Vote Ride

You Decide video on the Secretary of State’s site

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Thank Legislatorsand Staff

Awards

Thank you notes

Often

It makes a big difference

Invite them to your events and recognize them there

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THANK YOU!

www.mncdhh.org/makingyourcase

www.youtube.com/mncdhh

www.facebook.com/mcdhh

www.twitter.com/mncdhh