Power of Administrative Advocacy to Improve Service Delivery

Power of Administrative Advocacy to Improve
Service Delivery
Monday, April 27, 2015
2:00 pm ET, 1:00 pm CT, 12:00 pm MT, 11:00 pm PT
Welcome
Jennifer Medina
Senior Manager, CFED
Advocacy Series
1. Policy and advocacy 101* – January
2. Legislative advocacy* – March
3. Administrative advocacy – today!
*Archived on http://assetsandopportunity.org/network/learning_community
under Events.
Housekeeping
•
This webinar is being recorded and will be
available online within one week.
•
All webinar attendees are muted to ensure
sound quality.
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Today’s Objectives
• Share definitions of administrative
advocacy
• Share administrative advocacy successes /
challenges
• Identify administrative changes to target
in upcoming year
Defining administrative advocacy
How would you
define
administrative
advocacy?
Defining administrative advocacy
• Policy, rule or program change achieved
outside legislative system
• Under discretion of executive branch or
state agency
• Little or no oversight by legislative body
Mechanisms for change
• Types of data agency collects
• State program applications
• Eligibility rules for state programs
• Selection criteria for RFPs
• Contract provisions
• Definitions of allowable uses of funding
What would you add to this list?
Why administrative advocacy?
• Agencies influence legislators
• Agencies maintain case-making data
• Changes improve agencies’ outcomes
• Less agency staff turnover
• Less transparency
• May be more effective in conservative
states
Case studies: administrative victories
• Nevada excluded 529s from TANF asset
test (2013) and increased TANF asset limit
(2014)
• Ohio removed overdraft option from
unemployment prepaid cards (2012)
As you listen, jot down notes about:
• Questions you have for speakers
• Examples of administrative advocacy you
have done
• Tips on administrative advocacy
• New ideas for policy advocacy in
upcoming year
Nevada asset limits and 529 exclusion
Nancy Brown
Chair, Opportunity Alliance, Nevada A&O Network Leader
Miki Allard
Staff Specialist, Division of Welfare and Supportive Services for the
State of Nevada
Nevada asset limits
• Approach: Opportunity Alliance leveraged
relationship with Treasurer who approached the
Director of HHS.
• Policy lever: After holding public hearings on
both issues, HHS amended TANF state plan.
• Messaging: Asset limit is an inadvertent barrier
to achieving financial security.
• Practitioner role: Food Bank provided testimony
at public hearing.
Ohio’s unemployment prepaid cards
David Rothstein
Director of Resource Development and Public Affairs, Neighborhood
Housing Services of Greater Cleveland, Cleveland A&O Network
Leader
Ohio’s unemployment prepaid cards
Approach: OH advocates researched impact of
overdraft on clients. Through written materials and
meetings, educated agency staff.
Policy lever: Jobs & Family Services changed the
contract provisions of the unemployment prepaid
card vendor, U.S. Bank.
Messaging: Resources intended for beneficiaries
was going to banks.
Practitioner role: Identified impacted clients,
shared prepaid card fee schedules
Questions / Comments
• Questions you have for speakers
• Examples of administrative advocacy you
have done
• Tips on administrative advocacy
• New ideas for policy advocacy in
upcoming year
Takeaways
• Administrative advocacy…
 is a non-legislative way to leverage an
administration’s policy position.
 Circumvents political pressure around a
policy position.
 Can result in better client outcomes—e.g.,
increased enrollment in programs.
 Can better align program goals with clients’
needs—e.g., getting benefits quicker.
Takeaways – Role of Service Providers
• Service providers provide valuable information
on client needs and how to best restructure a
program or policy to ensure positive outcomes.
• Service providers can educate agencies about
the impact of policy and how change could
result in better outcomes.
Takeaways – Agencies
• Agencies sometimes underestimate the
power/influence they have to change policy.
• Efficiencies argument is compelling one for
agencies.
• Get agency buy-in for change.
Resources
Administrative Advocacy Rules for Nonprofits
http://bolderadvocacy.org/wpcontent/uploads/2012/08/Administrative_Advocacy.pdf
Planning to Win Guide
http://planningtowin.org/gettingstarted
A&O Network Experts Directory
http://assetsandopportunity.org/network/learning_community/experts_directory/
Advocacy 101 & Legislative Advocacy Webinars
http://cfed.org/knowledge_center/events
Thank You!