General Advocacy Tips and Talking Points

All legislative visits will be scheduled by NYASP. Participants will be informed of their appointment times with their representatives.

Before the meeting –

• Be prepared! Memorize the bill numbers (licensure A.1745/S.3278; preschool extension A.10894/S.9611). Read through the talking points and the legislation that will be discussed during your visit. Plan out what you want to say during the visit.
  
• Find out something about the legislator that you can refer to during your meeting (e.g. special interest or project that they are involved with in your area) or a common area of interest (e.g. mental health services for children, education issues). Read the biography and other items on your legislators’ website.
  
• Know where the legislators’ offices are. Give yourself enough time for travel, getting through security, and navigating the elevators and hallways to arrive at least ten minutes before appointment time.
  
• Bring a business card to leave with the legislators.
  

General Tips during the meeting –

• Be on time, prepared, and polite.
  
• Each appointment is approximately 15 – 20 minutes.
  
• Start with a concise introduction, containing the following information:
  

a. Who you are

b. Where you work (mention specific school district, college/university, or agency)

c. What you do as a school psychologist (tell a personal story about your work)

d. What you need from your legislator

e. A reference packet will be prepared for you to bring to the visit. Make sure the legislator receives this packet before you leave.

• Thank the legislators for their involvement in a specific initiative, project, or issue within your area or highlight a common area of interest.
  
• While the “point person” will initiate conversation, others can add their “stories” to illustrate the talking points. HOWEVER, do not be repetitive by re-stating the talking points. Share a new perspective. IN ADDITION, BE CONCISE! Long-winded explanations or stories are ineffective.
  
• “Read” the body language of the legislator or listen to their verbal cues to gauge their interest. Not everyone needs to talk.
  
• If the legislator indicates that they have another meeting or needs to leave, end the conversation. Do not try to prolong the meeting to “make your point.” 
• Thank them and tell them that you will follow-up for more discussion.
  
• Do not attack the legislator for his/her record on your issue(s), and do not disparage government or politics.
  
• Do not use technical terms or acronyms, unless you are certain that your legislator will understand them.
  
• Do not complain. This is a NO WHINING ZONE! You are there to “inform” the legislator about the issues and how they impact children and families in their districts.
  
• If you do not know the answer to a question, say you will find out and get back to them – and follow through.
  
• Before you leave, ask how you can be of help to him/her.
  
• Thank them for their time. Ask for a business card of the legislator and other key staff who may be in attendance. Don’t forget to leave your business card.
  

After the visit -

Follow up with a thank you note, along with any information that you promised during the visit.

Keep in touch during legislative session – contact your legislator on issues of interest to you, and remind them of your visit.

General Tips for Speaking with Elected Officials or Legislative Aides

• When communicating with elected officials, focus your message on CHILDREN, not your own personal situation. Not that they don’t care about you or your job, but they tend to respond better when they do not perceive the message to be “self-serving.”

• You are likely to speak to a legislative aide, but that is good. They often inform the legislator about the issues.

• Tell a very short but poignant story about the work you do. These tend to leave a lasting impression and are easily repeated when the aide is informing the elected official about the nature of the conversation.

Specific Talking Points

(Circle a couple talking points that you wish to share or read directly from the list)

DID YOU KNOW?

Children’s Mental Health:

• 20% of children are diagnosed with a mental health disorder severe enough to interfere with their daily life functioning.

• 75%-80% of these children do not receive the appropriate mental health services to address these problems.

• When children DO get help for mental health problems, the vast majority of services are provided in the school setting.

• Mental health problems impact a child’s ability to function in school, including academic achievement, performance on standardized testing, and social interactions with others.

• We are all aware of the mental health crisis that our children and adolescents are experiencing.

• We are further aware that families are experiencing difficulties accessing mental health services in the community due to severe shortages of providers. There are long waitlists or the need to travel outside the community to access providers.

• Licensing school psychologists to provide services will help increase the mental healthworkforce

Licensing Bill

• The scope of practice is focused on activities that school psychologists are well trained for; psychoeducational assessments, educationally related therapy, consultation, and program development.

• School psychologists are highly trained experts in child development, learning, and psychological factors that impact functioning in educational settings.

• The training and experiences of school psychologists is equal to or surpasses all of the current non-doctoral licensed mental health professions in NYS.

• Licensure of school psychologists will benefit children, families, and school districts across NYS.

• The bill has been amended to reflect concerns raised by others, including a title change to “Licensed School Psychology Practitioners”

• NYS Bill A.1745/S.3278 provides for licensure of school psychologists to practice school psychology, regardless of the setting.

School Psychologists and Extension of Preschool services

• June 2026 school psychologists will be removed as providers of Preschool services

• preschool services are designed to support vulnerable and fragile children to prevent the development of serious disabling conditions by provided services early upon identification of developmental issues

• School psychologists provide vital evaluations to identify cognitive, social/emotional/behavioral, and other developmental delays

• Preschool/4410 agencies already experience significant provider shortages, resulting in delay in services to children and families

• A.10894 (Benedetto)/S.9611 (Mayer) will extend the ability for school psychologists to provide Preschool services until June 2028

School Psychologists are Qualified Providers of Mental and Behavioral Health Services

Key Messages

School psychologists that meet NASP Standards are qualified providers of child and adolescent mental and behavioral health services.

NASP standards highlight the range of services that school psychologists provide to promote child and adolescent mental and behavioral health.●

School psychologists are uniquely positioned to provide mental and behavioral health services in schools and in the community

What graduate programs do to prepare school psychologists

• Align all pre-service training to the NASP Standards for Graduate Preparation and Model of Comprehensive School Psychological Services.

• Embed evidence-based counseling and mental health techniques and interventions within coursework, practicum, internship, and program requirements.

• Increase the number of graduate experiences (e.g., practicum, externship, internship) that provide students with clinical experience in behavioral and mental health.

• Help students understand their role as mental and behavioral health providers. This can include embedding information in relevant courses (e.g., introduction to school psychology, counseling, consultation, intervention).

• Prepare students with advocacy skills through coursework, practicum, and program requirements that align with the NASP Standards.

• Require practicum and internship sites to incorporate mental and behavioral health service delivery into the experience.