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Below are five different frameworks you can use to develop a pitch that best reflects your experiences and goals. These examples show how you can lay groundwork, share relevant data, present the issue, connect to your legislator’s priorities and present a solution in a structured manner that still feels personal. You do not need to use all of them during your Summit meetings – pick the ones that best suit how you want to make the case for our legislative requests.
Resource: Use this worksheet to write practice pitches ahead of the summit. (Coming soon!)
Mitigating Change
This example shows how you can draw a policymaker into your world and incorporate facts you learned about them. It could be used when you are trying to prevent or mitigate unwelcomed policies, because it focuses on real-life consequences.
Script:
During the pandemic, I’ve been able to support more patients by leveraging remote technology. That’s because at the start of COVID-19, the government instituted increased flexibilities around telehealth. For example, for the past two years, I could offer phone meetings without having to require in-person follow up. That’s made a huge difference for some people.
For example, one of my patients is a health worker struggling with everything she has seen during the pandemic. Her schedule is hectic, and she barely has time to meet, much less travel back and forth to my office. I saw you worked as a nurse before running for office, so you understand what the schedule can be like. Being able to call in from wherever she is means she doesn’t have to sacrifice her well-being for that of her patients.
Unfortunately, once the pandemic ends, many of these regulatory flexibilities will go away unless Congress acts. Of course, my patient will continue to have very long shifts after the pandemic ends, especially since her hospital is short-staffed. She told me that if we had to go back to meeting in person, she would not be able to get help as often as she needs it.
We need more flexibility to meet patients like her where they are. This bill would help by making the temporary changes in regulations permanent. Over 50 national organizations support this bill, including APA. I’d be happy to share a copy of the letter they cosigned with you if that is helpful. Would you be interested in co-sponsoring this legislation?
Asking for Change
This example shows how you can encourage policymakers to embrace change. It does so by creating a sense of what is, versus what could be, and shows officials their role in creating a brighter future.
Script:
I am one of two psychologists in my clinic who speaks Spanish, and we are desperately struggling to meet the needs of clients who do not speak English. It is heartbreaking to see our waiting list grow because we do not have enough staff to schedule appointments. Not having more diversity is having real-life implications for patients.
When patients have to describe their challenges in a language they are not fluent in, we might miss a key nuance or detail. That could affect the diagnosis and next steps we take.
This legislation can help by creating more diverse pipelines into psychology. In my clinic alone, one more Spanish-speaking psychologist would reduce our waiting list by 20 percent. That means fewer families struggling with hunger, because a parent is getting the treatment they need to stay in the workforce. More students in this district would be able to stay in school, because budding conditions could be identified before developing into a crisis.
What are your thoughts on introducing this legislation?
Focus on a Policymaker
Some of you are represented by officials who hold a more influential role. This sample pitch focuses on the policymaker’s importance. Good audiences for this pitch are chairs of key committee or officials who informally “own” an issue in their delegation. You may need their support to get your proposal off the ground and this pitch gives them a sense of buy-in.
Script:
We are facing a mental health crisis amongst youth in our state. Recently, I started seeing a teenage girl who is struggling with depression. Even just to request a meeting with me, she struggled with months of self-doubt. She didn’t know who to ask for help, how to get it, and she couldn’t rely on her parents to help navigate the process. Every day she was at risk of self-harm. I was grateful that I was able to start seeing her when I did, but many adolescents do not get the help they need in time – in fact, we have seen a significant increase in the rate of teen suicide in our state.
We are coming to you because as Chair of the Senate Finance Committee, you are in unique position to work with your colleagues on a solution. Here is a list of policies developed by the American Psychological Association with support from several other organizations to address youth mental health.
We would love your support to turn this into a reality. It would have a huge impact in our state in helping youth get the support they need. Are these policies something you would consider supporting?
Serving as an Ambassador
Serving as an ambassador for a program, research, or policy can also be very effective advocacy, particularly if you are describing your own career path or personal experience. Policymakers love hearing real-life examples. They use them in speeches, or to convince colleagues to co-sponsor a bill.
Script:
I first became interested in helping people in my senior year of high school. A friend was having a really tough time after his parents divorced, but I could see how talking about it made him feel better. That sense of connection and helpfulness drove me to take an intro to psychology class in college. From there on out, I knew I had found my career.
But a PhD could mean a decade of balancing school with life in general, and accruing a huge amount of debt. I had to pay my own way during the entirety of my studies. The Psychology Entry Grants Program made a huge difference for me during that time. It gave paid training opportunities so I could build on my knowledge while earning a living. That helped me get past a big barrier to entry. I now lead a program that helps 1,500 people in rural communities every year.
There are plenty like me who could make a difference in peoples’ lives, if they could only benefit from programs such as this one. This program now desperately needs funding. Do you think your office would be willing to support its renewal?
Demonstrating Influence
This type of pitch uses ties to local institutions to establish your credentials. It works because policymakers want to check the pulse of their communities. By explaining the reach of your organization in their constituency, you can build trust. If you follow up often, they might start relying on your insights.
Script:
The hospital I work at is the single largest employer for North County, and the only hospital within reach of Northeast and Northwest counties. This year alone, we supported 300 patients experiencing a mental health crisis.
Unfortunately, this has taken a huge toll on our staff. Many are burnt out, and many have left. If we cannot recruit more staff we might have to close our crisis program. This document lists two solutions that would help us both recruit and retain new staff. With these policies, we can keep helping those 300 people, and maybe take on even more patients. Would you be able to support these bills?