Networking: The Basis for Advocacy
There are few more important topics than effective advocacy in the health field. There is no shortage of committed advocacy groups. One of the hardest questions for most groups though is why is it so hard to get more people involved. Many groups have agendas that are hard to argue against. Even the people who are not involved with groups agree with them. Agreement is not enough. How do you get people involved?
I believe a primary problem is the lack of effective networking between groups that share common agendas. To some extent this may happen at the national or state levels. On the local level though I believe it seldom happens. Many efforts involve advocating with local officials who care more deeply about what you have to say if you are going to vote for them or you live where they live. I think we miss the boat here.
Let me give an example. The Tennessee Health Care Campaign is one of the best advocacy groups I know. It has been in the forefront of the fight for better health care for the citizens of Tennessee longer and more effectively than anyone I know. They have much more of a presence on the state level though than they do on the local level. The local organizing committees do not always have a lot of people involved. There are also a lot of mental health advocacy groups which often have a lot of grass roots involvement. Some of the groups I am aware of include: NAMI, DBSA (depression and bipolar support alliance), TMHCA (Tennessee mental health consumers association), TSPN (Tennessee suicide prevention network), Mental Health America, and SPANUSA (suicide prevention action network USA). I am sure there are many others. I am equally sure there are many other advocacy groups that I know nothing about that are grass root based and very active.
If there was a way for some of the local THCC groups to reach out to other advocacy groups in their area on a planned basis I think the potential for real effect is there. THCC may have a little more inclusive agenda, but the agenda of many other groups can find expression in what they are trying to do.
I watched in dismay a couple of months ago when the legislative session was closing and a large effort was made to get one legislative committee to vote on an amendment to allow a safety net for thousands of new people losing their TennCare. The advocacy groups did not, despite a massive effort by many people, even have the political punch to get the amendment to a vote. The voices of a lot of good and hard working people were marginalized by the forces of “political necessity.” Maybe if there is a way to develop more effective coalitions on all levels the next time we will do better.
I know a lot of people involved in mental health advocacy. I know almost no one involved in other advocacy efforts other than those I have met through THCC. I certainly do not know all the answers, or even understand all the questions. I can not help though in believing that in us knowing each other better the stage is set for many good things in the future.