The ASH Advocacy Leadership Institute has traditionally been held in the fall and required members to fly to Washington, DC, to learn about the legislative process before going to Capitol Hill to meet with their elected officials. However, due to ongoing uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and continued security concerns on Capitol Hill, ASH's premier advocacy training opportunity has been postponed. Instead, ASH will offer a series of online webinars focused on various advocacy-related topics that will be open to all interested ASH members.
To learn more about the opportunities that this new webinar series will offer ASH members, The Hematologist sat down with Chair of the ASH Committee on Government Affairs Dr. Jennifer Holter Chakrabarty who stressed the importance of advocacy knowledge, regardless of prior experience. “While COVID has paused in-person advocacy, we still have ways to make sure our voices are heard,” said Dr. Holter Chakrabarty. “We've had over a year now of experience conducting meetings and outreach virtually and are continuing to innovate and find new ways to have our voices heard on Capitol Hill. We cannot stop speaking up. Our patients and fellow researchers need us to advocate for them now more than ever, but we need to have a working knowledge of how the process works in order to be effective advocates,” she explained.
The new virtual format will make it easier for ASH members across the United States to participate without having to travel or take time away from the lab or seeing patients. Dr. Holter Chakrabarty extolled many of these benefits. “The transition to virtual advocacy offers a huge opportunity for ASH members to get involved without a big-time commitment or the need to travel to Washington,” she said. “We're hoping that this webinar series is informative and shows how easy it is to be an advocate. If you've thought about getting involved in ASH advocacy, or if you've been involved but would like to do more, I would encourage you to participate in these webinars.”
The topics for the advocacy training webinars aim to shed light on how Washington really works and how policy decisions at the federal level affect hematologists all over the country. The series will be composed of four, one-hour-long webinars covering the following topics:
How Congress Really Works – September 13, 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time (ET)
All your questions on how Congress works (or doesn't) will be answered, including how legislation is crafted. Participants will also learn more about the Society's advocacy efforts and ways to become involved in advocacy to support hematology practice and research.
A Day in the Life of a Capitol Hill Staffer – September 20, 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. ET
Members of Congress rely on their staff to get business done. Hear about what the day-to-day life of working on the Hill is really like. Participants will also have an opportunity to talk with one of ASH's Congressional Fellows who spent a year working in a congressional office serving as a hematology expert.
Federal Agencies and Hematology: An Inside Look at the NIH, CDC, and FDA – September 27, 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. ET
While Congress may be in the news more, federal agencies that have a large impact on hematology tend to receive less attention. This webinar will provide participants with an inside look at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Learn about how these agencies impact hematology research and practice and the best way to make your voice heard.
Working With Advocacy Groups and Coalitions: How to Amplify Your Voice in Washington – October 4, 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. ET
ASH regularly partners with coalitions made up of other medical organizations, academic institutions, and patient groups to support common causes. This webinar will feature speakers from major national health groups and coalitions who will talk about how ASH and others join together to amplify their voices and ensure that their advocacy messages are heard.
ASH members interested in registering for the ASH advocacy webinar series should visit the ASH Advocacy Center at www.hematology.org/advocacy for more information. While there, sign-up to join the ASH Grassroots Network to receive regular updates about what's happening in Washington and information about the Society's advocacy efforts. The ASH Advocacy Center also offers tools to contact legislators to remind them about the importance of hematology and the needs of hematology researchers, clinicians, and patients.
Recordings of the entire ASH advocacy webinar series will be archived on the ASH website for those interested in learning more about becoming involved in ASH's efforts.
