Visit your Member of the Legislative Assembly

Tell a compelling story to support your message. Have a brief and clear story about how psychology, psychologists, or other mental health professionals have benefitted you. You can even ask about the experiences of the MLA to get the conversation going. View PAA position statements if you need direction or support for your story e.g. “The PAA, and their 3500 members support my experience with their position statements:

• Psychologically healthy workplaces
• Mental & behavioural health funding parity
• Access for all Albertans
• “Mental Health Therapist” is a disservice to Albertans
• Counselling & psychotherapy = master’s degree
• Alberta health care insurance plan coverage
• Meaningful & effective school psychology

Practice a short elevator pitch of your message and story. This helps you summarize the topic effectively and saves time for other discussion in the meeting.

Highlight the Value of Psychologists

Psychologists serve the community as practitioners, researchers, academics, and consultants.  They have demonstrated benefits, are in critical need, are efficient, and are effective in treating mental illnesses or helping the individual maximize their potential. Psychologists are:

• Accountable as regulated health professionals
• Experts in their field
• Accessible and willing to help
• Uniquely trained with a minimum of 6 years of schooling not including supervision period, and continuing education

Set a Goal for your Meeting

The potential outcome of the meeting is a partnership with your MLA. Build relationships that matter, promote your profession, and assist elected officials to lead in ways that support the psychological health & wellness of our province. The goal could also be a direct call to action.

The Leave-Behind

Your leave-behind package can contain some of the same information that you brought to the meeting with you. Ensure your issue is outlined clearly in writing. This could be in a letter form. Only use the key data or fact sheet to support your message, but encourage the MLA to reach out to you for more. Include your full name, title, affiliation, or association and complete contact information (address, phone number, email, & website if applicable), Don’t include your CV.