School Counselor Legislative Advocacy Resource Guide

Creating coalitions among school counselors is a powerful way to amplify your voices and advocate effectively for your profession to legislative bodies. Here are some actions that school counselors can take to build coalitions, discuss issues and plan strategies to support the profession:

• Identify Common Goals and Concerns: School counselors should identify common goals, challenges and concerns that they want to address through advocacy efforts. This could include issues related to student mental health, access to resources, professional development opportunities, workload concerns or licensure requirements.
• Reach Out to Fellow School Counselors: School counselors can reach out to colleagues within their school, district or broader professional networks to gauge interest in forming a coalition. Utilize professional organizations, social media and networking events to connect with peers who share similar interests and concerns.
• Host Networking Events and Meetings: Organize networking events, meetings or forums where school counselors can come together to discuss issues, share experiences and brainstorm strategies for advocacy. These gatherings can help build relationships, trust and a sense of solidarity among counselors.
• Utilize Technology: Create online platforms, such as social media groups, forums or email listservs, to facilitate communication and collaboration among school counselors in different locations. Technology can help bridge geographical barriers and enable counselors to stay connected and engaged in advocacy efforts.
• Collaborate with Professional Organizations: Partner with local, state, or national professional counseling organizations like the American Counseling Association to leverage their resources, expertise and advocacy networks. Professional organizations can provide guidance, training and support for counselors looking to engage in legislative advocacy.
• Develop an Advocacy Agenda: Collaboratively develop an advocacy agenda that outlines the key issues, goals, and strategies for advancing the interests of school counselors to legislative bodies. Prioritize the most pressing issues and create action plans for addressing them effectively.
• Engage in Legislative Advocacy Training: Attend training sessions or workshops on legislative advocacy to learn effective communication strategies, lobbying techniques and how to navigate the legislative process. Equip coalition members with the skills and knowledge needed to engage with legislators and policymakers.
• Plan Advocacy Campaigns: Develop advocacy campaigns that utilize a variety of tactics, such as writing letters, making phone calls, meeting with legislators, organizing rallies or events and utilizing social media to raise awareness about key issues impacting school counselors.
• Monitor Legislative Developments: Stay informed about legislative developments, policy changes and funding opportunities that could impact school counseling services. Regularly communicate updates and action alerts to coalition members to mobilize support and action when needed.
• Evaluate and Adjust Strategies: Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of advocacy efforts, assess progress towards goals and adjust strategies as needed. Reflect on successes and challenges to continually improve coalition-building and advocacy initiatives.

By building strong coalitions, school counselors can effectively advocate for their profession, influence legislative decisions, and promote policies that support the well-being and success of students and the school community. Collaboration, communication, and strategic planning are key to creating a unified voice and driving positive change for school counselors.

SEND AN OFFICIAL LETTER TO YOUR STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE

School counselors must advocate beyond the legislator to bring about change that will support the profession, and the students and families they serve. Use ACA’s guidelines to contact your Attorney General (AG) to seek guidance, and to provide recommendations on how your AG’s office can support your needs as a professional.

Below is a sample letter that you may use to contact your AG office. Please customize the letter to focus on your state’s specific needs. Your AG office is responsible for reviewing and providing a response to the letters you send. You may then use these letters to support your needs if applicable, and to approach the state legislature for support in drafting a bill that will protect the rights of school counselors.

[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State, Zip Code]
[Email Address]
[Phone Number]

[Date]

[Attorney General's Office]
[Address]
[City, State, Zip Code]

Dear [Attorney General's Office],

I am writing to express my concern regarding the lack of protections for mental health professionals and school counselors who work with clients on controversial issues that significantly impact the well-being of the client, such as abortion, book bans, LGBTQ issues, and other sensitive topics.

As a mental health professional/school counselor, I am committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for my clients/students to explore and discuss these challenging issues. However, I have observed instances where professionals in my field have faced backlash, threats, or legal challenges for engaging in conversations related to these topics.

It is crucial that mental health professionals and school counselors can offer unbiased support and guidance to clients/students without fear of retaliation or legal repercussions. By creating protections for professionals in our field, we can ensure that individuals seeking help on these controversial issues receive the care and support they need without judgment or discrimination. 

I urge the Attorney General's Office to consider implementing policies or legislation that safeguard the rights and responsibilities of mental health professionals and school counselors when addressing sensitive topics with clients/students. These protections should include: 

1. Legal immunity for professionals acting in good faith when discussing controversial issues with clients/students.
2. Guidelines for respecting the confidentiality and privacy of clients/students when discussing sensitive topics.
3. Support and resources for professionals who face threats or challenges related to their work with clients/students on controversial issues. 

By enacting these protections, we can ensure that mental health professionals and school counselors can fulfill their duty to provide quality care and support to clients/students navigating complex and emotionally charged topics. 

Thank you for your attention to this important matter. I look forward to your response and to working together to create a safer and more supportive environment for mental health professionals and school counselors. 

Sincerely,

[Your Name]
[Your Credentials]

Remember to personalize the letter with your specific details and experiences before sending it to the Attorney General's Office.

Writing official letters to federal agencies is important for several reasons: 

• Formal communication: Official letters help maintain a formal and professional communication channel between individuals, organizations or businesses and federal agencies. This ensures that the communication is taken seriously and treated with the appropriate level of importance. 
• Clarity and documentation: Official letters provide a clear and documented record of the communication between the sender and the federal agency. This can be important for legal purposes, tracking the progress of a request or inquiry or providing evidence of correspondence in the future. 
• Legal compliance: Certain requests or inquiries to federal agencies may need to be submitted in writing to comply with legal requirements or regulations. Writing an official letter ensures that you are following the correct procedures and protocols. 
• Accountability: Official letters hold both the sender and the recipient accountable for their actions or responses. By documenting communication in writing, it becomes easier to track responsibilities and obligations on both sides. 
• Professionalism: Writing official letters demonstrates professionalism and respect for the federal agency and its processes. It shows that you are taking communication seriously and are willing to engage formally. 
• Formal response: Federal agencies often require written communication for certain types of requests or inquiries to provide an official response. By submitting an official letter, you are more likely to receive a formal response that addresses your concerns or requests adequately. Please practice patience when waiting for your response, it may take 60-90 days or more. 

Overall, writing official letters to federal agencies is important for ensuring effective communication, maintaining professionalism, complying with legal requirements and holding all parties accountable.

Agency List

• U.S. Department of Education – Office of Civil Rights

  The. U.S. Department of Education (DOE) Office of Civil Rights (OCR) serves student populations facing discrimination and advocates and institutions promoting systemic solutions to civil rights problems. An important responsibility is resolving complaints of discrimination. Agency-initiated cases, typically called compliance reviews, permit OCR to target resources on compliance problems that appear particularly acute. OCR also provides technical assistance to help institutions achieve voluntary compliance with the civil rights laws that OCR enforces. An important part of OCR's technical assistance is partnerships designed to develop creative approaches to preventing and addressing discrimination.

  Website: Office for Civil Rights | U.S. Department of Education

  Contact: Contact OCR | OCR (ed.gov)

  Please note DOE-OCR has contacts listed by region. ACA recommends reaching out to the 1. Region Contact, 2. DOE HQ Contact.

• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Civil Rights

  The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR) enforces federal civil rights laws, conscience and religious freedom laws, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Rules, and the Patient Safety Act and Rule, which together protect your fundamental rights of nondiscrimination, conscience, religious freedom, and health information privacy.

  Website: OCR Home | HHS.gov

  Contact: Contact Us (OCR) | HHS.gov

• White House
  No matter  your political affiliation the White House is the representative for all people and you should take advantage of sharing your community’s needs and concerns.
  
  Website: The White House
  Contact: Contact Us | The White House

TIPS FOR DRAFTING YOUR LETTER

1. Utilize the ACA Attorney General letter template to draft your letter to the Office of Civil Rights. Please customize your letter and be specific in your ask.
2. Review the ACA toolkit before drafting your letter for additional information you may find useful
3. Most agencies will allow you to submit a letter online. Please keep in mind that submitting online limits the number of words you can write. ACA recommends drafting an email to the email address provided on the site and sending a letter through the United States Postal Service.

Proposing a bill to your state legislature is a significant way to advocate for issues that are important to you and your community. Here are the general steps you can follow to propose a bill to your state legislature: 

1. Research and draft the Bill: Start by researching the issue you want to address with your bill. Look into existing laws, policies, and regulations related to the issue. Draft the bill language, outlining the purpose, scope, and specifics of the proposed legislation. You may want to seek input from experts, stakeholders or legal professionals during this stage. 
2. Find a sponsor: In most state legislatures, bills must be sponsored by a legislator to be formally introduced. Reach out to a state legislator who is sympathetic to your cause or who represents your district to seek their sponsorship for the bill. Explain the purpose and importance of the bill and how it aligns with the legislator's priorities or constituents' needs. 
3. Meet with stakeholders: Before formally proposing the bill, meet with stakeholders who may be impacted by the legislation. This could include community members, advocacy groups, experts in the field, affected individuals and other relevant parties. Gather their input, address concerns and build support for the bill. 
4. Submit the Bill: Once you have a sponsor and a draft of the bill, work with the sponsoring legislator to formally submit the bill to the state legislature. This typically involves submitting the bill to the appropriate committee for review and consideration. 
5. Advocate for the Bill: Advocate for your bill by reaching out to other legislators, testifying at committee hearings, writing letters of support and engaging with the public and media to raise awareness about the issue and the proposed legislation. Building support for the bill is crucial to its success. 
6. Attend Committee Hearings: If the bill moves to the committee, attend committee hearings to provide testimony in support of the bill. Be prepared to answer questions, address concerns and provide additional information as needed. 
7. Monitor the Bill's Progress: Stay informed about the progress of the bill through the legislative process. Be prepared to revise the bill, address opposition and navigate any amendments that may be proposed. 
8. Lobby for passage: Lobby legislators to support the bill and vote in favor of it when it comes up for a vote. Continue to engage with stakeholders, the public and the media to build momentum and support for the legislation. 
9. Follow up: If the bill passes, follow up with legislators, stakeholders and the community to ensure that the legislation is implemented effectively and achieves its intended outcomes. If the bill does not pass, consider revising and reintroducing it in the future or exploring alternative avenues to address the issue. 

By following these steps and actively engaging with the legislative process, you can effectively propose a bill to your state legislature and advocate for important issues that matter to you and your community.