Skip to content
Menu
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Staff
    • District Leadership
  • Membership
  • Advocacy
    • 2024 Memos of Support
      • Topical Fluoride Varnish
      • Early Intervention Costs
      • SAFE for Kids Act
      • Lockdown Drills in Schools
      • Gender Affirming Care
      • Telehealth in Schools
    • 2023 Policy, Budget & Practice Priorities
    • 2023 Memos of Support
      • ATV Safety & Minors
      • G6PD Testing
      • Birds and Bees Protection Act
      • Informed Consent Act
      • Lead Pipe Right to Know
      • Minor Consent
      • Predatory Marketing Prevention
      • Create a Tobacco-Free Generation in NY State
      • Transgender Treatment Protection Act
      • Working Families Tax Credit
      • Lockdown Drills in Schools
    • Policy Statements
      • Statement on Israel-Gaza Conflict
      • COVID Immunization
      • COVID Vaccine for Children
      • Support – Reopening Schools
        • Reopening Schools Press Release
      • Climate Change
      • Anti-Racism Statement
      • Adult Marijuana Statement
    • 2022 Legislative Priorities
    • Advocacy Alerts & Updates
      • Advocacy Update January 2022
    • Advocacy Recent
      • 2022 Budget, Policies and Practical Issues
      • 2022 Memos of Support
        • Continuous Medicaid Coverage for Children 0-3
        • Runaway & Homeless Youth Rights to Medical Consent
        • Cumulative Environmental Impact Addressing Environmental/Health Equity
    • Archive Past
      • Value Based Primary Care Letter
      • Priority Practice Issues
      • Immigration
        • Lettter to Gov. Cuomo
        • Letter to Mayor deBlasio
      • Impact of Poverty on Children
      • Update on Hydrofracking
      • News and Notes
      • Advocacy Archives
  • Resources
    • Pediatricians (All)
      • AAP Resolutions
        • Top Ten Resolutions from the 2022 Leadership Conference
        • Resolutions Archive
          • Resolutions – 2021 Top Resolutions
          • Resolutions from the 2019 ALF
          • Resolutions from the 2018 ALF
      • CATCH
      • Project TEACH
        • Mental Health Support Services
      • AAP’s Bright Futures Guidelines
      • Immunizations for Physicians
        • Inventory Requirements for COVID-19 Vaccine and Nirsevimab
      • Recorded Webinars
      • Research
        • PROS
      • District Chair Letters
    • Pediatricians in NYC
    • Runaway and Homeless Youth
    • Pediatric Trainees & Early Career Physicians
    • Cannabis Usage
    • Parent’s Resources
  • Calendar

New York State American Academy of Pediatrics (District II)

A coalition of AAP NY Chapters 1, 2 & 3

Donate Now

Advocacy

Communicating with Elected Officials

Elected officials need and want to know what pediatricians think about public policy issues that affect children’s health care.   You are the expert.   Legislators are not physicians.   They rely on constituent pediatricians, like you, to educate them about your practice and the impact of existing and proposed legislation on children.  Being an effective advocate on legislative issues means knowing where and when to exert your influence.   Below are pointers on how you can influence your elected officials through phone calls, letters, e-mail, and meetings.

The Letter/E-Mail

Your letters and e-mails to Albany can and do make a difference.   Legislators rely on letters and e-mail to find out what the people are thinking.   And, for you, letters and e-mails can be the first step in building an ongoing relationship with your elected officials.   Send a copy of your letter/e-mail to AAP-District II.
Here are some guidelines to follow when writing:

  • Spell your Senator and Assembly member’s name correctly.   If you know your legislator, use his or her first name, your letter/e-mail will receive more attention.Write legibly or type your letters.
  • Use your own words and your relay your own experiences.   Personal letters and real stories are more effective than preprinted postcards or petitions.
  • Make the topic you are writing about, and your position on it, clear in the opening sentences.  For example:  “I’m writing to oppose S. 468.”
  • Refer to bills by number (ex. S.468 or A.873)

Letter/E-Mail Tips:

  • Stay on one topic.   If you want to write about other issues, send another letter later on.
  • Give reasons for your position.   As appropriate, use personal experience or a concrete example to make your case.
  • Raise questions.   A question can get a personal response.
  • Keep it short.   One page is best.   Use two pages only if necessary for clarity and completeness.
  • Identify the issue or specific bill name or number at the top of the letter.
  • Be polite, positive, and constructive.  Don’t plead, and never threaten.
  • Be timely.   Write before decisions are made and action is taken.   But don’t write too long before – a letter six months before a vote will probably be forgotten.
  • Offer to be a resource on the issue.
  • Be sure that your name and address is on both the envelope and the letter.  This is so your legislator knows you’re a constituent.
  • Thank your legislators when they take an action you agree with.
  • Keep writing!

The Telephone Call

A phone call is a good way to let your legislator know how you feel about a particular issue.  Legislators pay close attention to calls as a measure of voters’ sentiment.   An outpouring of calls can sometimes change the vote of a legislator, but even a small number of calls can make a difference.   When you call, ask your Senator or Assembly member for a written response.   This will ensure that your call is counted.   Send a copy of any correspondence you receive to AAP-District II.
Calls should be made when time is too short to send a letter.

  • Be prepared.   Plan what you are going to say.
  • Identify yourself, where you are from, and who you represent.
  • State the issue or bill number you are calling about.
  • Briefly, state how the issue affects you personally or professionally.
  • Clearly state what action you want.
  • If necessary, speak to a legislative aide.
  • Ask for a call back if needed.
  • Be polite.   Don’t ever threaten.
  • Ask for a response.

The Office Visit

An office visit allows you to demonstrate your interest in your legislator and their opinions on public policy matters.   Legislators usually have more time to spend with constituents in their district office.   You may be asked to speak with a staff member.   Legislative staff often have considerable input and can provide significant insight into your representatives views.   Send a copy of any correspondence you receive to AAP-District II.

  • Know who represents you.
  • Contact the appointment secretary in the representatives’ office to set up an appointment, explain the reason for the visit, and identify the number of people who will be attending the meeting.
  • Be sure to confirm your appointment a few days prior to the date.
  • Arrive on time and sign the guest book in the legislator’s reception area.
  • Keep control of the agenda.
  • Thank the legislator or staff for their attention.
  • Leave your business card.
  • Follow-up your visit with a thank you note.
  • Write down the name(s) of any legislative aides you meet with.

Upcoming Events

Sep
26
Fri
all-day 2025 NCE in Denver
2025 NCE in Denver
Sep 26 – Sep 30 all-day
2025 NCE in Denver
JOIN US IN DENVER! September 26–30, 2025 The AAP National Conference & Exhibition is the largest gathering of pediatric health care professionals in the world, offering a remarkable opportunity to unite in their unwavering commitment[...]
View Calendar
Add
  • Add to Timely Calendar
  • Add to Google
  • Add to Outlook
  • Add to Apple Calendar
  • Add to other calendar
  • Export to XML

© New York State American Academy of Pediatrics (District II) 2025. Powered by WordPress