From March 2002 NASW NEWS
Copyright ©2002, National Association of Social Workers, Inc.

Web-Based Advocacy on the Rise

A total of 2,614 contacts were made with members of Congress.

By John V. O'Neill, MSW, NEWS Staff

During 2001, 727 members used NASW's automated lobbying system, Congress Web, to contact their senators and representatives, according to data collected by Lakitia Mayo, the national field organizer who manages the association's Federal Legislative Network.

Use of Congress Web is one of several steps the association's Government Relations/Political Action Department is taking to enhance the ability of chapters and members to participate in grass-roots lobbying on federal issues. The automated method of sending e-mails and letters to Congress is accessed through NASW's Web site. Congress Web provides form letters to send to Congress or allows members to draft personal letters on federal issues.

A total of 2,614 contacts were made with members of Congress between April 2001, when NASW began using Congress Web, and the end of the year. The Clinical Social Work Medicare Equity Act accounted for the largest number of contacts, 796, followed by 673 for the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

Mayo said there are three components to a successful federal issue campaign: media, lobbying and grass-roots support. To augment NASW's grass-roots lobbying capacity, NASW last year hired Mayo as field organizer and launched the Federal Legislative Network pilot project with seven chapters: Washington, Alaska, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Carolina and Florida.

Participating pilot-project chapters have federal legislative liaisons who work with the national office to promote grass-roots advocacy in their states on federal issues. These chapters engage in such grass-roots actions as writing letters to the editor, having members meet with members of Congress and their staffs, hosting fundraisers for members of Congress, or visiting local colleges to ask students to participate in advocacy, thereby extending the grass-roots reach on issues.

Some chapters expend most of their legislative efforts on state and local issues, relying on NASW's national office to lobby in Washington. But without the grass-roots support of chapter members, the association's lobbyists can't be as effective as they could be, said Mayo.

Mayo said goals for grass-roots advocacy for 2002 include:

• Tripling the use of Congress Web by members.
• Recruiting members association-wide to sign up for the grass-roots advocacy network so those with special influence and interest on certain issues can be asked to help with advocacy.
• Creating and maintaining a grass-roots database of members so the association can better target members for particular issues and continue to improve communication efforts with members and chapters through education on issues and updates on legislation.

To sign up for the grass-roots advocacy network or access Congress Web: www.socialworkers.org/advocacy

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