Advocacy The Need for Healthcare Advocacy At all levels of government, policy-makers cannot know every constituent. However, those constituents that make an effort to develop a relationship with and act as a resource to their elected or appointed leaders can have a real impact. Herein lies the power of grassroots advocacy: individual action and groups of committed constituents joined together provide policy-makers with the expertise they need to make decisions, and this can truly influence legislation.

What is advocacy and why should individuals committed to public health be involved in advocacy? Officially, an advocate is a person who supports, defends, and argues for a cause. To advocate is to act in support of a particular issue or cause. Advocates may be individuals, non-profit groups, independent agencies, or other organization. Being a public health advocate allows you to influence the way the public and policy-makers think and act on public health policies.

How does being an advocate differ from being a lobbyist? A lobbyist is generally a paid representative of a group, organization, or industry. Lobbyists communicate with legislators about specific legislation and express the view or opinion of the organization they represent. To be a federal lobbyist, you must be registered and comply with federal law requiring submission of regular reports detailing lobbying activity. On the other hand, anyone can be an advocate. As an advocate, you are exercising your right as a citizen to participate in the democratic process.

The advocacy campaign
Advocacy is a process. The first step in an advocacy campaign is analysis to define purposes and set goals. An advocacy campaign identifies the potential audiences to be reached and decides what and who will influence them. It develops a strategy for mobilizing opinion, organizing resources, and reaching key audiences effectively. Often, supporters in the community can become involved in designing and carrying out advocacy activities. A network or coalition of community members and organizations can create powerful advocacy. Satisfied clients, for example, often express personal commitment that leads the way to public advocacy.