About My Legislative Advocacy Services
Introduction
I have developed a variety of legislative and policy skills in several areas during the past 10 years, through my work as a legislative advocate and lobbyist for several mental health groups (see list of current client organizations below.) This summary provides examples of the kind of work I am able to offer the organizations to which I provide my services, what kind of contract I have with each organization, and the time and fee required for each service I can provide.
For your information, all work I provide for clinical social work organizations or clinical social workers must be coordinated through the Clinical Social Work Association at www.clinicalsocialworkassociation.org . I have divided the work I can provide into six main areas.
Current services I provide include Legislative Analysis, Legislative Consultation, and Direct Involvement, and Development of Materials (see below for details.)
1. Legislative Analysis of existing laws, statutes, rules, and proposed legislation.
2. Legislative Consultation on existing laws, statutes, rules, and proposed legislation; development of legislation, legislative strategy to implement or block proposed legislation.
3. Direct Involvement in development of legislation, lobbying for the interests of the organization specifically, providing legislative alerts, and working with members of the organization’s leadership on legislative campaigns.
4. Development of Materials including standards of practice, statutory language, and position/background papers.
In addition, I offer presentations on a variety of mental health and legislative topics (see articles in “Articles-Clinical” and “Articles-Legislative” sections.)
Legislative Analysis of State or National Laws/Rules and Proposed Legislation
Experience: From 1999 to the present, I have provided the analyses of a variety of state and national laws/rules and proposed legislation, e.g., mental health parity, inclusion as Medicaid providers, laws governing other mental health professions, disciplinary rules, mental health treatment laws or guidelines, state privacy and confidentiality laws, etc. Legislative language has different meanings from the way words are commonly used. Understanding this meaning is crucial to understanding whether a given law, rule, or bill will support or harm ethical mental health practice. Analyzing proposed legislation almost always includes the analysis of existing laws and rules in the area the bill affects. N.B.: All work provided for clinical social work organizations or clinical social workers must be coordinated through the Clinical Social Work Association at www.clinicalsocialworkassociation.org .
Agreement Needed: Identification by Board and/or leadership of your group of the laws, rules, and/or proposed legislation to be analyzed, and a signed contract.
Time Estimate and Fee: Approximately 2-3 hours per law/rule analysis, or retainer (see Contract Options below.)
Legislative Consultation on State Licensure Laws and Rule or Other State Laws
Experience: Legislative Consultation may involve identifying areas in existing laws and rules that require legislative changes; developing strategies for creating these changes by creating consensus within the psychoanalytic community; creating consensus within the larger mental health community; and/or working with other lobbyists and/or volunteers to identify needed changes or developing strategies. Legislative Consultation cannot be provided without some prior Legislative Analysis (see above). Creating changes in existing laws and rules may also require the Development of Statutory Language to change laws or rules (see below); the formation of coalitions; consensus building within coalitions; identification of groups who oppose changes; getting support from state Boards and oversight agencies; identification of prime sponsors; direct lobbying to legislators; tracking progress of bills through the legislature, and working with the Governor’s Office to make sure the bill will be signed into law. N.B.: All work provided for clinical social work organizations or clinical social workers must be coordinated through the Clinical Social Work Association at www.clinicalsocialworkassociation.org .
Agreement Needed: Identification by Board and/or leadership of your group of legislation on which your group wants Legislative Consultation, and signed contract.
Time Estimate and Fee: Legislative Consultation varies widely in time needed and can be provided on an hourly basis or on retainer (see Contract Options below.)
