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January 2008 Strengthening Relationships With Your Legislators: A Mini-ResidencyThe success of IHA's advocacy agenda depends on the contacts that hospital leaders establish with their legislators at the grassroots level. The best way to advance our legislative goals is for every member hospital to have a good relationship with its legislators. With contention expected to continue in Springfield and hospital issues still on the forefront, the IHA invites you to redouble your efforts to build or strengthen your relationship with your state elected officials. Through IHA's mini-residency program, you can give your legislators a first-hand look at the contributions your hospital makes, the challenges it faces, and the impact of potential legislation. The attached materials (click here) will help you arrange a successful mini-residency that will serve as the foundation for a continuing relationship with your legislator. Emerging issues and legislative proposals create a continuing need to educate and familiarize elected officials about how they impact your hospital and the community that you both serve. It’s important to communicate with your legislators about how issues like charity care and discounts for the uninsured, the Certificate of Need extension, Medicaid underfunding, the workforce shortage and Medicaid managed care, affect your hospital. It is essential to make it clear to your legislators that the benefit to the community your facility provides goes far beyond the amount of charity care you provide. Be specific about community outreach programs your hospital may be cosponsoring with schools, community groups or faith-based organizations. Although mini-residencies may be held at any time, the best times to meet with legislators are Mondays or Fridays during session or when the General Assembly is in recess. Legislators are expected to be back in their district offices through February 12 with another two-week break from March 17-31 and a final scheduled break April 21-28. Please consider contacting your legislators now to schedule as soon as possible a Mini-Residency. To get the ball rolling, please review the Mini-Residency program guide and the Nobody Does it Better brochure and then make a commitment to invite your legislators to participate in a mini-residency at your hospital. Contact Kathleen Dunn, kdunn@ihastaff.org or Nichole Magalis, nmagalis@ihastaff.org in IHA’s Springfield office (217-541-1150) for information on how to contact your legislator. Then fax the response form to Nichole Magalis, IHA Government Relations at 217-541-1166. We continue to be excited about the mini-residency program because of the opportunity it offers to build relationships with legislators at the all-important grassroots level. We hope you will participate. Key Legislative Issues
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