A unique opportunity for psychiatrists to lobby members of Congress in our nation's capital on the issues that affect mental health care.
- March 11 - 12, 2019
- Washington Marriott Georgetown, Washington, D.C.
- Space is limited.
Learn first-hand the legislative agenda for the first session of the 116th Congress. Gain insights from key Hill insiders on the inner workings of Congress and the legislative process and hands-on advocacy training —all directed at helping you get the most out of your face-to-face meetings with your federal legislators and their staff. View the schedule-of-events, frequesntly asked questions and more information, and conference resources below.
Schedule-of-Events
| Monday, March 11, 2019 |
| Noon – 5:00 p.m. |
Registration/ Appointment Pick-up Check in and receive your congressional appointments and briefing materials. |
| 1:30 – 2:00 p.m. |
Welcome |
| 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. |
Breakout Sessions An in-depth dive into APA's legislative priorities to be discussed on the Hill and an opportunity to prepare for your meetings through advocacy training. |
| 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. |
Break |
| 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. |
Dinner Briefing Get an insider's perspective on the 2019 political landscape from APA’s staff and member experts and prepare for your meetings with Congress. |
| Tuesday, March 12, 2019 |
| 6:30 – 8:00 a.m. |
Question and Answer Breakfast Feel prepared going to the Hill and get your last-minute questions answered during a panel discussion on APA's legislative priorities. |
| 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. |
Congressional Appointments Meet with Federal lawmakers and discuss the issues impacting psychiatry and your patients. |
| 4:00 – 4:30 p.m. |
Group photo in front of the U.S. Capitol |
| 4:30 – 5:15 p.m. |
Bringing Advocacy Back to your State Tie the advocacy skills you have gained on the federal level to state-level issues, and learn about APA's state-level victories and challenges in 2019. |
| 5:15 – 5:45 p.m. |
Hill Meetings Debrief Session Share your memorable experiences and takeaways from meetings, and consider ways to take your relationships home and utilize your advocacy skills throughout the year with your congressional district offices. |
| 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. |
Join APAPAC and toast all your hard work at Capitol Hill's Sonoma Wine Bar. Note: To attend, you must have already contributed $250 to APAPAC in 2019 or the cost of attendance is: $100 General members, $50 ECPs or $25 RFMs. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Click on a question below to view the answer.
Who will arrange my Capitol Hill meetings?
APA staff arranges all meetings for each attendee. You will be emailed the times and location of your meetings prior to your coming to DC. You will also receive a hard copy at registration.
Will I need to prepare materials?
No, you do not need to prepare any materials. APA will provide you with personalized "briefing sheets" to prepare you for your visits. The briefing sheet will include: the specific issues to discuss; information about whether your Representative and Senators have been supportive in the past; talking points; and your meeting location, time, and other attendees. Prior to your congressional meetings, APA staff will review all of these issues with you and answer your questions. We will also provide you with folders to leave with your congressional offices. The folders will include information on all of the issues that you will discuss in your meetings.
What will I talk about?
The issues you will discuss will relate to specific APA approved priority issues. APA staff will brief all attendees on the overall messages of the day. Remember, you are the expert and have the greatest facts about mental illness. The congressional staff and elected officials are interested in hearing from you.
Who will attend the meetings with me?
APA will arrange meetings by congressional district, so your meetings will be with the elected officials who represent you. The meeting may just include yourself or it could include other attendees who are also in your district. Every attendee from your state will meet with your senators' offices.
With whom will I meet?
Depending on availability, your meeting may include a House member, Senator, and/or their staff. Each is very important. The staff with whom you may meet with has a primary responsibility to work on health care issues. Although you may not necessarily meet with your Representative or Senators, staff members have a good deal of influence within the office, and it is important that they become experts on mental health issues.
What do I bring?
Business cards are encouraged, as they allow congressional staffers an easy exchange of contact information.
What do I wear?
While it is important to look professional, there is a lot of walking and standing between congressional meetings. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes, as the halls are marble floor, and dress as professionally as possible. Try not to carry too much metal and limit the amount of pocket items that you have, as there are mandatory metal detectors as you enter each congressional building. Attendees are also asked to bring their white coat or borrow one from a colleague, so that we can remind Capitol Hill of psychiatry’s place in the House of Medicine.
How will I get to Capitol Hill?
We have arranged a deal for you to get to Capitol Hill from the Washington Marriott and back to the hotel from Capitol Hill using the rideshare app LYFT. We will have a code available for you at the conference.
How will I know where my meetings are?
The packet that we provide you will have your day's schedule and a map of where the congressional offices are located. If you get lost or confused, each building will have Capitol Hill police officers who will be happy to help you.
What if I can't answer a question?
If you are in a congressional meeting and are asked a question you cannot or do not feel comfortable answering, simply tell the congressional office that you, or an APA staff member, will get back to them on that issue. This is honest and allows for a follow-up contact with the office.
Resources
Instructions for accessing Advocacy Training: Promoting Mental Health to Policymakers:
- Go to apapsy.ch/advocacy
- Click "Access Activity"
- Login to your existing APA account or create a new account if you don't already have one
- Review the Activity Overview and CE Information sections
- Enter "ADV0219" into the Group ID box on the Purchase section to unlock the activity
- Select your certificate type and confirm your choice via the pop-up window (Note: You may need to disable pop-up blockers)
- Complete the Evaluation section
- Select and Save the number of credits on the Certificate section and generate your certificate using the button provided
- Send questions, comments, or feedback regarding the online course to kdougherty@psych.org