Title IV-E Child Welfare Training Program Congressional Site Visit

< NASW Homepage

Advertise With NASW

Create a core group of individuals to coordinate the Congressional visit

Other Key People

Setting up the Meeting (Make every effort to get a meeting, but provide options if member cannot come)

Determine location for site visit - most effective will be an agency site where Title IV-E interns are placed
Determine potential dates to propose to legislator's office using Congressional Calendar as a guide
Fax or mail a meeting request to scheduler at the Congressperson's closest district office
Follow up with meeting request in one week
Member of Congress are very busy, so try to be as accommodating as possible to the legislator's schedule
Let them know this will be covered in the chapter newsletter

Once Meeting is Set

Send a press release to local media to alert them to the member's visit to your agency.
Follow up with all attendees for the visit to review the meeting date, time and purpose.
Make sure all agency staff know when the member of Congress will be arriving to prepare them for potential disruptions.
Get someone to take pictures of the visit to use in newsletters, press releases, and thank you note.

After the Meeting

Send a thank you note to the member of Congress thanking him or her for taking time to visit your agency.
Write a letter to the editor highlighting the issues discussed and the member's stand on the issue.

Six-Eight Weeks in Advance

Five Weeks in Advance

Four Weeks in Advance

Hold second meeting with core group to review agenda and update on progress
Determine what roles each person will play in the site visit (i.e. who will coordinate the visit, who will talk about the Title IV-E program in general, who will talk about the benefit of the program for social work students, who will talk about the benefit of the program for families in the system, who ask the member of Congress for their stand on the issue)

Three Weeks in Advance

Prepare enough packets for the member of Congress and any others attending the site visit
Brief the front desk staff at the agency about the meeting including room location, person to call once member of Congress arrives etc.

Two Weeks in Advance

Hold final meeting with core group to work out any details not already covered.
Ask core group members to arrive ½ hour prior to the member of Congress' visit time.

One Week in Advance

Send press advisory to the media regarding the event (if you want press coverage)
Make follow up call with member's scheduler to make sure the meeting is still on the member's schedule and that he or she will be there

Day of Event

Dazzle the member of Congress with your knowledge, organization, and presentation!
Let the member know that you will be sending a letter to the Editor of the local papers about this issue and your meeting together.
Thank the member for visiting your program site and keep him or her on your mailing list for future events or correspondence.
Once the member of Congress leaves hold a debriefing session with the core group.

Week after Event

Send hand-written thank you note to the member of Congress.
Contact NASW National Office (202) 336-8218 to let us know how the meeting went.
Send letter to the Editor highlighting issue and mentioning the member's stand on the issue (if stated).

For questions or assistance, please contact Dina Zarrella, NASW Senior Field Organizer at dzarrella@naswdc.org or 202-336-8218.

Prepared by NASW July 2004