Communicating with Elected Officials

Elected officials need and want to know what pediatricians think about public policy issues that affect children’s health care. You are the expert. Legislators are not physicians. They rely on constituent pediatricians, like you, to educate them about your practice and the impact of existing and proposed legislation on children.

Being an effective advocate on legislative issues means knowing where and when to exert your influence. This section provides pointers on how you can influence your elected officials through phone calls, letters, e-mail, and meetings.