NEWS

RCI Hosts Advocacy Training for
New Caregiver Coalition

Over thirty persons representing CARE-NETs from across the state met in Macon on June 10 to receive training to help them effectively advocate on behalf of Georgia’s caregivers.

The training was lead by Dave Blanchard, Public Policy Director for the Atlanta Alliance of Developmental Disabilities; Melanie McNeil, Executive Director for the Georgia Council on Aging; Jerilyn Leverett, Executive Director for Disability Connections (The Middle Georgia Center for Independent Living); and Amy Tribble, Director of State Initiatives for RCI. The presenters discussed their advocacy strategies and how these strategies could be used to create or change public policy to benefit caregivers.

The training covered:

• Advocacy Basics: how a bill becomes a law; the legislative cycle; the budget process; tips for effective advocacy; and speaking at public hearings
  

• Using group resources - CARE-NETs working together on behalf of caregivers
  

• Transforming Information into Action
  

• Crafting a message; communicating the message; and getting the message to policymakers.
  

• Laying the groundwork with policymakers
  

• How ideas become a legislative or budget item; finding sponsors for your legislation
  

• Tracking the progress of the legislation once the bill is introduced
  

The statewide group will join forces as the Georgia Coalition for Caregiver Health. Their first advocacy efforts will be to request state funding to provide family caregiver network education and training through the CARE-NETs.