Advice on Contacting Lawmakers

As a member of a provider organization, your voice is important to the advocacy work of the Colorado Health Care Association in support of the membership.  Because of Below are a few tips and thoughts for communicating with lawmakers:

• Don’t feel intimidated about contacting your lawmaker.  They are in office to represent you, and they want to hear your concerns.  You have more subject matter knowledge than most all lawmakers when it comes to long term care and senior living.  Be confident in what you are communicating.
• Address the lawmaker as Representative or Senator.
• Maintain a respectful tone.  Asking someone for their assistance while berating or belittling their ideas is not a pathway to success.
• Stick to the direct issues at hand.  Its best to keep our communications limited to impacts on long term care or senior living and avoid other areas of policy.
• Communicate your concern or challenge clearly and concisely.  Lawmakers will want to hear what you have to say, but likely don’t have the depth of subject knowledge to understand the in-depth details. 
• Start and finish your communication with your “ask.”  For instance “I am writing to ask for support for House Bill XYZ 123.”  Or “Please vote NO on Senate Bill XYZ ABC.”

For background information on CHCA topics of concern, please access CHCA Issue Briefs.

To find your lawmakers’ names and email contacts, please access the Lawmaker Contacts page.

If you have questions or would like assistance, please contact Doug Farmer: Dfarmer@cocha.org