LEND Alums Join the Spring Policy Kickoff: Organizing to Influence Your State’s Policy

The 2025 Spring Semester opened on January 24 in Lewiston, Maine with a full day of re-connecting and hearing firsthand experiences about getting involved in state policy. Trainees and faculty were joined by two NH-ME LEND alumni, as well as New Hampshire and Maine state legislative and disability leaders.  

Andrea Dole (LEND 2022) was the keynote speaker and former classmate, Audrey Gerkin (LEND 2022), joined the state policy panel discussion. Each shared their experiences advocating for the rights to appropriate supports and services for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN) and their families.  

Andrea Dole’s presentation centered on her journey pursuing the implementation of Paid Family Caregiving in the state of Maine. Her son James, who has multiple disabilities, is thriving. Andrea credits his resilience to her determination to follow her heart to lovingly nurture him. With no formal medical training, she is the lead caregiver and expert on the skilled nursing level of care that her son requires. She is responsible for training the paid staff who work in her home and being available when staff is not. Andrea’s voice as an advocate for children and families is resonant and clear; Parent caregivers whose children need constant care should receive the same MaineCare compensation as the hired caregivers. Parents need a respected and paid place on the caregiving team and there are models of care to which Maine can look in both neighboring New Hampshire and in other parts of the U.S. 

Describing how professionals can help support this cause, she added, “Having other professional voices in the chorus round out the family story picture. You don’t get that harmony or really satisfying dissonance without other voices weighing in as well. I highly recommend that if you are a dedicated profession to these children, find ways to use your voice to speak on issues.”  Andrea Dole 

 

State Policy and Advocacy Guest Panel

Following the keynote, five panelists including Audrey Gerkin, shared their experiences advocating with people with disabilities and how they see their roles in the future. They offered insight on why it’s important for all people to engage in legislative policy and how to activate people to engage in state policy.   

Audrey Gerkin (Parent and Systems of Care Specialist at the NH Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau for Family Centered Services) recalled her work campaigning for an increase in the Medicaid rate for private duty nursing in 2016.  She will never forget the lesson she learned from a contact in Pennsylvania who was on a similar journey. “There are three things that make you successful when engaging and activating policy: Data, Stories, and Advocacy. When you put all three of those things together, then you can be successful with an issue.” 

Audrey wrapped up the panel session by sharing an excerpt from her LEND leadership reflection which she wrote upon her return from the 2022 Disability Policy Seminar in Washington D.C.