AUDIOLOGY ADVOCATE | Time to Activate to Advocate

By Jodi Baxter and Susan Pilch

This article is a part of the September/October 2019, Volume 31, Number 5, Audiology Today issue.

With the 116th Congress already over a quarter under way, the Government Relations Committee (GRC) urges Academy members to get involved. It is an exciting time for audiology, with the Academy actively working and collaborating with other organizations on new policy initiatives. The audiology voice in numbers is critical for the profession in advancing these initiatives.

The GRC developed the Grassroots Network (GRN) for the purpose of having a group of members ready to rally when needed to advance policy initiatives related to audiology. The GRN receives regular updates on current legislative and regulatory priorities for the Academy, with requests for action.

Actionable items may include reaching out to members of Congress about specific legislation, submitting comments on proposed rules, providing input into policy development, and monitoring other activities that require the perspective of the audiologist. Sometimes, the action item may be to simply raise public awareness about audiology at the policy level.

In an ideal world, every single member of the Academy would be a member of the GRN, as communication from many individuals is helpful to complement messaging from the national organization.

The GRC developed, and will soon share, resources to equip members of the GRN to be ambassadors of audiology. New videos offer guidance on how to initiate outreach and develop relationships with congressional representatives and engage in advocacy outreach, among other things. Our legislative action center offers contact information and sample letters for legislative priorities. The GRC also has an advocacy tool kit available to offer tips on how to guide your own grassroots efforts.