GETTING THE MESSAGE OUT ENHANCING ADVOCACY THROUGH EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION ABOUT IHSS

Presenter Mike Roth Paschal │ Roth Public Affairs

Outline  Why does media matter?  Ways you might come in contact with the media  Interviews  How to ‘hook’ a reporter  Preparing for an interview and do’s and don’ts  Talking points and message  Answering tough questions  Addressing common misconceptions about IHSS  Common Media Challenges  Creating a good event  Social Media

Why Does Media Matter?  Build public support for home care  Motivate leaders to protect home care  Change the debate  Value of IHSS vs. what it costs

Ways You Might Come in Contact with Media  A reporter calls for an interview or you talk one-on-one at an event  You speak at an event  You author guest commentary or a Letter to the Editor  Online interactions including blogs, website, YouTube, , social media

True or False? TThe purpose of a media interview is to answer a reporter’s questions. FFalse. YYour goal is to get your message out. LLook at the reporter’s question as an opportunity to state your message.

How to engage a reporter  Break the mold and present the reporter with something unexpected  Share experiences that are relatable

Telling your story  “I’m a mom of three kids. Ask them what my work is about and they’ll tell you that I help families like ours stay together. Without me as a caregiver, Julian, the 7 year old I work with who has severe cerebral palsy would live in a institution rather than with his own family.”  “My husband and I have been married for 45 years and we’ve always taken care of each other. Without home care, we’d be apart for the first time in decades because I would be in a nursing home.

Preparing for an Interview  Practice with walk through/mock interviews  Review your talking points and have on hand  Prepare and use a Q&A or fact sheet for hardball questions

Interview Don’ts  Do not answer the question if you don’t know the answer  Example Reporter question: How much notice is the state required to give before cutting IHSS hours? Response: “I’m here to talk about how home care is critical to maintaining my independence and dignity. When we are done with that, I’d be happy to get you in touch with someone who is familiar with the details of the law.”

Interview Do’s  Do:  Stay on message  Speak in easily understandable terms  Use anecdotes and illustrations to help tell your story  Be yourself

Talking Points and Message  IHSS makes for a stronger California.  Cuts to IHSS will push people with disabilities and seniors over the edge.  More cuts = fewer jobs.

Answering Tough Questions  “Blocking” and “Bridging” Pivot Technique:  “Blocking” means avoiding an unwelcome question  “Bridging” means taking the discussion from unfriendly to friendly by making a smooth transition to an area that fits your agenda  Example phrases include:  “I think what you’re really asking is…”  “That speaks to a bigger point…”

Addressing Common Misconceptions about IHSS

Example: IHSS Fraud  District Attorneys have said IHSS fraud is as high as 25%  Block: Actually, the facts don’t support those assertions but even so the state has stepped up enforcement in recent years.  Bridge: However, you’re missing the larger point, which is that cutting IHSS won’t really save money. The hours of my help have already been cut to the bone and I only get help with my medication 5 out of 7 days each week. If my insulin isn’t controlled, one trip to the emergency room will eat up those cost savings.”

Example: Family should do this anyways  Why should the state pay family members to care for loved ones? That’s what families should do anyway.  This really sounds like a misunderstanding of what home care is really about. Home care is a cost-effective alternative to institutionalization that helps families like mine stay together. When my son with a developmental disability was born, I had to chose whether to keep working outside the home and have him live in nursing care, or stay home where I know I can provide the best care. Meeting his needs for feeding, bathing, medication, and hygiene is a full time job for which I am paid just $800 a month. IHSS makes sense for our family and for the state because housing him in a nursing facility would cost tens of thousands of dollars more per year.”

Example: IHSS is too expensive  Isn’t the cost of IHSS growing out of control?  Unfortunately, that view just doesn’t recognize that home care is one of the ways California saves money because the only alterative is costly institutionalization of our loved ones. Home care is even more important for controlling costs as our population is growing and aging. If we don’t have strong, cost-effective alternatives like home care in place, the cost of nursing care will be an even bigger problem.

Common Media Challenges 1) Straying Off Message Solutions:  Be sure to go over talking points before the event.  Have a copy of the talking points at the event, if needed.

Common Media Challenges 2) Visuals don’t “tell the story” Solutions:  Be sure to have visuals at events, especially if you know that photographers or TV crews will be there.  Make sure visuals convey a focused and clear message, just like your talking points.

Common Media Challenges 3) Little to no press turnout at events Solutions:  Be sure you are “making news”  Be sure to use good timing when planning events  Do good media outreach  Always have a “Plan B”

Creating a Good Event  Make news  Timing -- tee off the news cycle  Time of day- respect reporter deadlines  Location – consider proximity to media outlets  Visuals & signage

Social Media  Stay on message  Remember your audience

Conclusion Comments or Questions?