Professional Advocacy Toolkit

Local

The following resources that have been identified to promote self-advocacy for clinicians, patients/clients and students.

Better Speech and Hearing Month

Learn more about Better Speech and Hearing Month. Access this link to raise awareness about communication disorders. Resources include informational handouts for communication disorders across the lifespan, media/press release templates, posters, coloring pages, bookmarks, and so much more.

Grassroots Advocacy

Guide for grassroots advocacy for your profession

iKAN

iKAN is a year-long program for KSHA members with leadership potential. It facilitates the development of leadership and advocacy skills. Learn more about iKAN and how you can become part of this advocacy initiative.

State

The following resources have been identified to assist you in state level advocacy efforts, facilitate communication to legislators and promote involvement to further legislative action.

Advocacy Day

Are you interested in professional advocacy? Learn more about KSHA’s Advocacy Day in Frankfort.

Bill Watch

Bill Watch allows you to track current legislation in Kentucky.

Communicate With Your Legislator

Communicating with your legislator is a vital component to advocacy efforts. Use this link to communicate with your legislators including resources such as sample dialogue and letters.

Donate to PAC

KSHA’s Political Action Committee (PAC) is an entity that facilitates participation in the political process by associations, corporations and individuals. Using dedicated funds, the PAC allows an organization to fully engage in the process by providing financial campaign support to elected officials who can impact issues of relevance to the group’s members.

Find Your Legislator

Knowing who represents your interests is vital to advocacy efforts. Find your legislature here.

Find Your Representative

Knowing who represents you at the state and national level is helpful in knowing who is advocating for your profession.

Get Involved

Resources on how to get involved at the state level.

• iKAN APPLICATION
  The Kentucky Advocacy Network is a year-long program for KSHA members with leadership potential. The program encourages you to develop your leadership and advocacy skills and give back to the professions through advocacy efforts at all levels. Apply today if you want to grow and improve your leadership skills to drive change, develop a lifelong professional network, give back to your profession through volunteer service, and influence policies, programs and services.
• State Advocacy Networks
  ASHA’s Government Affairs and Public Policy department has developed networks with representatives from individual states. Each of these networks focus on a different priority issue.
  • SEAL
    The State Education Advocacy Leaders (SEAL) enhances and perpetuates the advocacy, leadership and clinical management skills of school-based ASHA members at the state and local levels to influence administrative and public policy decisions that affect the delivery of speech-language pathology and audiology services in school settings.
  • StAMP
    The State Advocates for Medicare Policy (StAMP) enhances and perpetuates the advocacy, leadership and communication of ASHA members at the state level to influence administrative and public policy decisions that impact the Medicare coverage and reimbursement of speech-language pathology services and audiology services.
  • STAR
    The State Advocates for Reimbursement (STAR) enhances and perpetuates the advocacy, leadership and clinical management skills of school-based ASHA members at the state and local levels to influence administrative and public policy decisions that affect the delivery of speech-language pathology and audiology services in school settings.

NSSLHA

Learn more about how to become a member of the National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association. You will also learn about student leadership opportunities, local chapters, scholarships and more.

State Advocacy Toolkit

Resources to help advocate for qualified personnel to provide audiology and speech-language pathology services in educational and health care settings.

Federal

The following resources have been identified to assist you in professional federal level advocacy efforts, facilitate communication to legislators, and promote involvement to further legislative action.

Public Policy Agenda (PPA)

Link to ASHA’s top public policy priorities for the professions of audiology and speech-language pathology in the areas of schools and healthcare. This resource also encompasses issues that impact professional practice, and patients, clients and students.

Find Your Legislator

Find Your Representative

How to get Involved

ASHA provides resources on how to get involved at the Federal level

Take Action Toolkit

The Take Action Toolkit is a resource for professionals’ that provides an overview of current issues, supporting data to frame the issue, and information for using qualified personnel to provide audiology and speech-language pathology services. Additional tools and advocacy pointers are also included.