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Online advocacy: Make every click count!
By Janice Youngwith
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
E-mail, podcasts, video conferencing and webcasts — electronic high speed communication is the name of the game when it comes to sharing information and resources important to today's legislators and policymakers.
"Turn around time is imperative," says Mark Peysakhovich, senior advocacy director, American Heart Association. "Legislators need information on various issues, they need to hear from constituents and they often need to take the pulse of their community quickly when bills come up for vote. Federal, state and local elected officials used to rely strictly on letters and phone calls. But that's all changed in this age of electronic communication."
Peysakhovich credits online e-advocacy efforts for helping to pass recent smoke-free legislation.
"Until two or three years ago, no one would have expected Illinois to pass such a strict law," he notes. "In this case, tobacco legislation took a momentous step forward thanks in part to the role of e-advocacy when legislators passed and the Governor signed the Smoke Free Illinois Act into law last July. Smoke-free advocacy helped Illinois become one of six new states (Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Mexico and Oregon) requiring all restaurants and bars to be 100 percent smoke-free."
Peysakhovich says that in addition to tobacco prevention success, advocates also were able to strengthen the chain of survival by requiring the Illinois School Board of Education to establish a matching grant program to help fund CPR and AED staff education.
Another new law provides immunity from liability to anyone using an AED on heart attack victims. Obesity prevention efforts include the passage of a new law thwarting attempts to eliminate physical education classes in Illinois schools and amending the school code to limit PE waivers.
"In each case, the ability to provide policymakers with vital information and instant constituency links played a key role," he reports. "Passing legislation can be a very complex and challenging process in which success can be elusive and constant communication key. Like many other health care organizations, we've learned that every click counts and encourage our supporters in their civic efforts and communication."
Peysakhovich says that members of the American Heart Association's "You're The Cure" network frequently e-mail representatives and senators as action alerts arise.
"Just as each letter is counted, electronic mail also is sorted and response rates tallied," he explains. "Garnering a sense of the e-mails often is how these policymakers are able to put their finger on the pulse of issues. Every click truly does count."
The American Heart Association encourages involvement in its "You're The Cure" group of cardiac and stroke survivors, families and friends working to make a difference in the battle against cardiovascular disease.
The network is a formalized connection of volunteers, survivors and friends working in support of research, awareness, funding, public policy and advocacy in the battle to save hearts and lives.
"Whether it means speaking up for research funding, sharing a personal story, participating in an awareness raising event, writing a letter, sending an e-mail or picking up the phone to call a local representative, our volunteers are an important part of the cure and making a real difference," Peysakhovich notes.
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