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  • TIPS FOR VETTING TEAM:
    • - Empathize: be a kind, listening ear.
    • - Collect the story: their story is vital to moving this forward! We can use these stories in print media, social media, and to help explain why reliable health coverage is vital for our neighbors.
    • - Empower: we can help give them the tools, knowledge, and courage to speak out and make the difference.
  • INSTRUCTIONS
    1. (1) Get all your materials prepared before the call. Write the person's story you collect in the boxes that will appear below. This is not their final story, but a place for you to write notes -- so the more the better!
    2. (2) Read through any notes you already have about the person so you have some basic gist of their story.
    3. (3) Questions will appear below and to the side of boxes to help guide and assist you in drawing out details of their story.
    4. (4) Call the individual and gather their story. Make sure to write everything in the boxes below.

  • After you submit your story notes below, two emails will automatically be sent:

    1. (1) one will be send to you with a personalized link to view / edit the person's story. Please make sure to add this link to the story spreadsheet.
    2. (2) another email will be sent to the person you spoke to thanking them for sharing their story, providing them with a notice of consent to share their story, and asking them to share their story with our Senators.

  • Script

  • My name is _____________________ and I’m a voulnteer with the (Protect My Care Coalition, Tennessee Justice Center, Organizing for Action, etc). 

    As you may know, the newly elected president has proposed to repeal and replace Obamacare, as well as make significant changes to Medicaid and Medicare. The policies that he has promised put much of the current health care system at risk. We want your voice to be heard in shaping a health care system that matches our values and takes care of people like you in ways that address the needs you have and gives you peace of mind.

    We don’t want anyone to lose their coverage and so we are hoping to tell as many stories as possible about how important health coverage has been for people like you and your family. Your story is so important.

  • [If No]

    Thank you so much. If you change your mind in the future you can find ways to take action at ProtectMyCare.org.

    (end call and updating the Story Vetting Google Sheet Status to "Declined")

  • [If Yes]

    Thank you so much! I'd love to take a few minutes to go through a series of questions to learn a little more about you, your story and talk about a few ways supporters like you across the state and country are making a huge difference right now.

    (proceed with script and questions below)

  • PERSON VETTING

  • PERSON BEING VETTED

  • ABOUT THE PERSON BEING VETTED

  • NOTES FROM VETTING CONVERSATION

  • NOTES ABOUT THEIR PERSONAL STORY

  • Step 1: Introduce the Person, relationship to the community - the roots of their story.

    ​Start their story by sharing a little who they are.​ This allows others to connect with with them, establishes their credibility, and captures attention of the public.

    Get to know the person with the story.
    • (1). Share a little about who you are, why you are doing this and why telling stories are so powerful at influencing decision-makers.
    • (2). Use the questions below to draw out the details of the person’s story you are collecting and record your notes in each section below.
    • (3). Enter notes as bullets, or narrative - just be as descriptive as possible. 
    • (4). Communications coordinatiors will use your notes to draft blog, remarks and statements.
    • (5). Don't forget you'll get an automated email of your notes after you submit. The person you submit will get a thank you email.
    • Questions to help draw out details of the story: 
    • What can you say to show you are local and like other people who live in your city?
    • Where are you from?
    • How long have you been here?
    • What do you do for a living? What did you do?
    • Tell us about your family.
    • What do you do in town? Why do you do it?

  • Example: I've lived in Nashville for 10 years, working every day as a teacher in East Nashville. I have two kids myself I'm trying to raise and we spend our weekends at Hyde Park.
    Constituency: Is this person a Mom; business owner; faith leader; senior etc? If so, make sure you selected their constituency type in the drop-down two sections above. Once you select, specific additional questions for that constituency will appear to give tips on additional questions to ask to draw out more details for the story.

  • Because of the perspectives you selected, below are some specific questions to try to answer in writing out your introduction:

  • What is your business?
    When did you start it?
    How many employees do you have?
    Why did you start your business?
    How was your business in 2008? How is it now?
    How is your business or other businesses impacted by the issue you are writing about?
    How does your perspective of a business owner shape your feelings about this issue?
    Can you give a specific example about your relationship with this issue?
  • What branch of the military did you or your family member serve?
    How long? What was your rank/position and what is the right way to refer to you now? Retired? Veteran?
    Why did you decide to join the military? What influenced your decision?
  • What grade do you teach?
    What do you teach?
    What got you into teaching? What influenced your decision to start teaching? Why do you stay?
  • Where are you a student?
    What are you studying?
    When do you hope to graduate?
    Do you have student loans?
    What made you decide on your major? or if you aren't in college yet, what do you hope to be your major?
  • What drives your faith?
    How long have you been a person of faith and what keeps you a person of faith?
    How does your faith influence the issue you are writing about?
  • What type of law enforcement or part of 1st responder are you?
    How long have you been doing it?
    What influenced your decision to become a 1st responder or local law enforcement?
    How does your job as a first responder or local enforcement person influence your position on this issue?
  • What is your role in the medical profession?
    How long have you been a medical professional?
    What influenced your decision to become a medical professional?
    How does your job as a medical professional influenced the issue you're writing about?
    Can you give a specific example?
  • How old were you when you first started hunting/fishing?
    What got you into it? What was it like when you first started?
    How does your perspective of a sportsmen influence the issue you're writing about?
    Can you give a specific example?
  • How long have you had a relationship with the issue you are writing about?
    As a senior, how has this issue influenced you the most? Do you pay less for prescription drugs now than you did before?
    How does your perspective of a senior influence the issue you're writing about?
    Can you give a specific example?
  • As a woman, how have you been influenced by this issue?
    Can you give a specific example?
  • When did you know you wanted to come to America? What led you to that decision?
    Can you give a specific example?

  • Step 2: What is your relationship to the health care provision(s) you selected?

    Take a few sentences to explain how you or someone you know has been affected by key provisions of the Affordable Care Act.
  • Talk about when you first learned about your pre-existing condition, what happened? How did you feel? Describe how the condition affects your life.
  • What happened to cause you to reach lifetime or yearly caps? How did it affect you, your life? Tell us about the condition.
  • If you're the dependent, talk about why being able to stay on your parents insurance mattered to you. How did it affect you, your decisions? If you're the parent, how did it affect you, your family or your dependent?
  • How have you been affected by access to preventative care? Why did it matter to you?

  • TIPS

    1. When did you first learn you were affected by this provision of the ACA?

    2. What happened? How did you feel? What did you have to do?

    3. What happened next?

    4. Have you always felt strongly about access to health care?

    5. If so, why? If not, what changed​?

    6. Tell me more about [you or person they know affected]. How has the ACA helped [them or you]?

    7. How has it affected your peace of mind?

    8. What values drive your support for health care? Where do those values come from?

  • Step 3: Share how repeal would affect you.

  • TIPS

    Opponents in Congress are threatening to repeal Obamacare, meaning up to 59 million people will lose their insurance. What would that mean for you [and people you know] personally?

  • Step 4: Call for Action

    Edit / rephrase any talking points below into your own words and close out your story with a call for action!
  • “Senator Alexander, what will my daughter do without health care? Please vote NO on this rush to repeal the Affordable Care Act without a replacement that first protects my daughter from being denied coverage because of her pre-existing condition”

  • EXAMPLE

    “Senator Alexander, what will my daughter do without health care? Please vote NO on this rush to repeal the Affordable Care Act without a replacement that first protects my daughter from being denied coverage because of her pre-existing condition”

  • Can you send us a photo?

    A quick photo of yourself holding a piece of paper with your call to act can be an extra powerful way to spread your message when added to your story. If yes, you will get an email afterwards with instructions on how to share a photo back with the team!
  • Instructions: Make your story more powerful by including a photo of you holding a piece of paper with what you are FOR, signed by your first name and include your city which makes it local and powerful! We will add to our online blog -- and you can decide whether you wish to send it to your representative later!

    ScreenShot108
  • Accepted file types: jpg, jpeg, png, gif.
  • NOTE: Please wait 60 seconds while we send this amazing story to the right places!
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