About The Health Center Advocacy Network

We are a robust grassroots network of over 175,000 Health Center Advocates, fighting for good policies and sustainable funding for America’s Health Centers. Join us!

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Advocacy Leadership Program

Advocacy Leadership Program

Health Centers simultaneously encounter various challenges and opportunities on the federal, state, and local levels – now more than ever, Health Center Advocacy has never been more important. The NACHC Grassroots Advocacy Leadership Program (ALP) is designed to prepare Health Center and primary care association (PCA) staff, board members, patients, and other Advocates with the knowledge and tools to be grassroots advocacy leaders in their Health Centers and communities.

 

Email grassroots@nachc.org with questions.

How do I become ALP Certified?

Intensive Half-Day Workshops

One intensive half-day workshop in Washington, DC during 2019 Policy & Issues Forum (the ALP kick-off workshop will take place on Tuesday, March 26, 2019), or in Chicago, IL during the 2019 Community Health Institute & EXPO (CHI will take place from August 16-20, 2019). The workshop will cover Health Center Advocacy 101 including the legal dos and don’ts of Health Center Advocacy. Participants will also hear from past ALP participants who will share their knowledge and expertise in advocacy, as well as have the opportunity to network and build other skills.

Four Additional Sessions

Four additional advocacy educational sessions offered to all P&I registrants. These educational sessions will occur throughout the course of the P&I and will cover additional topics to those addressed during ALP kick-off.

Four Monthly Educational Webinars

Four monthly educational webinars that cover additional advocacy topics of interest. NACHC advocacy staff takes requests for these topics from ALP Participants, but potential topics include Health Center Funding 101, Using Social Media for Health Center Advocacy, Using Pictures and Videos for Health Center Advocacy, Voter Registration & Civic Engagement, Congress 101, Developing Relationships with Members of Congress, Advocacy Communications 101, Developing Health Center Advocacy Plans, and more.

ALP Advocacy Project

One ALP Advocacy Project and an informal project presentation to other ALP Participants during one of two webinars held in September. Learn more about the ALP Advocacy Project in the section below.

ALP participants who remain engaged throughout the course of the program and who complete the ALP Advocacy Project will receive a certificate of completion from NACHC.

What’s the ALP Advocacy Project?

 

ALP Participants are encouraged to undertake projects that directly contribute to increasing the grassroots base in support of Health Centers and/or make the case for Health Centers to the government. Some good examples of past ALP Advocacy Projects are:

  • Creating a video featuring staff and/or patient testimonials speaking to the value of Health Centers
  • Organizing an event during National Health Center Week to increase awareness and educate the public on Health Centers
  • Developing an advocacy plan for your Health Center that includes specific goals and attempts to raise your Health Center’s voice on the Health Center Advocacy landscape
  • Kick-starting a story-banking campaign to collect patient and staff stories speaking to the value Health Centers
  • Working to meet NACHC advocacy goals

Toward the end of the program in September, ALP Participants will attend two final webinars consisting of project presentations. Participants will be expected to spend 5-10 minutes discussing their ALP Advocacy Projects and taking questions from other participants.

 

Who should participate in the ALP?

 

  • Any Health Center staff, Board Members, or patients as well as PCA staff who have not previously participated in the program are eligible. We recommend that ALP participants be someone who can dedicate time to organizing advocacy efforts in their area and who can and will serve in an “advocacy coordinator” capacity.
  • Participants must attend NACHC’s P&I in March.
  • No more than two individuals per organization may participate in the ALP in a given year.
  • Advocacy does not have to be your full-time job, but you should commit to taking action on behalf of your Health Center as part of the program through the ALP Advocacy Project.

 

How can I participate in the ALP?

 

If you’re interested in the ALP or know someone who may be interested, registration will open in January… so stay tuned.To register for the Spring 2019 ALP class, click here. Please note that you MUST register for and attend the full Policy & Issues Forum in order to successfully complete the ALP. NACHC advocacy staff will follow-up with additional information on the registration process. Those interested should be willing to commit to attending the full P&I including the required half-day ALP workshop on 3/26 as well as the four educational webinars and completing the ALP Advocacy Project. The cost of the program is $125 (this does not include the conference registration fee). The program is limited to 50 participants, so make sure to sign up early.

 

Why should I participate in the ALP?

 

Attendance at NACHC’s P&I, participation in monthly webinars, and one-on-one assistance from NACHC advocacy staff will prepare ALP participants to be Health Center Advocacy leaders in their communities and states. ALP “Masters of Advocacy” will, upon completion of the program…

 

  • Be well-versed in the federal policy issues affecting Health Centers
  • Feel confident in communicating the Health Center Advocacy message to colleagues, community members, and government officials including Members of Congress
  • Have concrete ideas ranging from Tweetchats to grassroots petition drives for growing the Health Center Grassroots Network in their communities and/or states

 

Previous ALP Participants have said they would recommend the program to others interested in Health Center Advocacy. Alumni have shared that the program helped them to “learn the nuts and bolts of advocacy” and “create an advocacy roadmap for the whole Health Center”. Other participants indicated that the webinars “helped increase my knowledge of the community health centers on a national level”. One participant summed it up: “The ALP Program was a wonderful learning experience, and I enjoyed working with both fellow participants and the NACHC staff! I am excited to build on the foundation established as part of my ALP project and continue to be an Advocate for underserved populations.”

 

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