McCall Hamilton Advocacy and Public Affairs

McCall Hamilton Services

McCall Hamilton is a full-service, bipartisan government affairs law firm in Lansing, Michigan with extensive experience in Government, Politics, and Public Affairs.

Our lobbying activities cover the range of issues discussed in local, state and federal government including:

  • Agriculture
  • Appropriations
  • Cannabis
  • Economic Development
  • Education
  • Health
  • Housing
  • Human Services
  • Medicaid/Insurance
  • Regulatory Consulting
  • Transportation

Certificate of Need

Michigan has one of the more comprehensive Certificate of Need (CON) programs in the country. McCall Hamilton provides a full continuum of CON consulting and lobbying services including everything from consulting on projects to determine if CON approval is required, obtaining waivers to CON approval when available, preparation and submission of CON applications, to advising on CON policy changes and even lobbying the CON Commission to achieve our clients’ policy objectives.

Top CON Accomplishments:

  • McCall Hamilton files the most CON applications to initiate new outpatient surgery centers per year than any other consultants.

  • Resorting to Legislative intervention, we shepherded changes to the CON statute to allow for the first 2 new hospitals to be built in Michigan in well over 20 years.

  • Creation of new provisions within the CON Review Standards for Cardiac Catheterization Services to allow for elective PCI in hospitals without on-site open heart surgery and then subsequently helped craft compromise language allowing for the creation of outpatient cardiac catheterization services in ambulatory surgery centers.

  • We were instrumental in obtaining CON approval for the separation of the Karmanos Cancer Institute from the Detroit Medical Center, a feat that others had failed at for almost a decade.

Learn more about our Certificate of Need Services

Consulting

Direct lobbying is the tip of the spear, but there are many other essential elements that go into a successful government affairs strategy. We work with our clients to flesh out their policy objectives and develop strategic plans that help them reach their goals.

Our consulting work can take on many forms, including shaping administrative rules, providing regulatory landscape analysis, advising on the procurement process and managing any issues that arise once contracts are successfully obtained, helping to develop and/or manage relationships within the administration and the legislature, as well as monitoring all administrative, regulatory and legislative activity, advising on potential impact, and recommending action.

We provide support and advising services from advocacy communications and messaging to composing written analyses often used for communications with boards, organization leaders, and members.

We also help identify and capitalize on synergy between clients, or other stakeholders with whom we work closely, to unlock mutually beneficial partnerships that can often increase the chances of success.

Top Consulting Accomplishments:

  • State Descheduling of the first and only FDA-approved CBD derived prescription medication from the Michigan Controlled Substance Act

  • Partnered with State Agencies and stakeholders to ensure physician prescribed medication is appropriately administered on school property during a normal school day.

Lobbying

At McCall Hamilton we understand that lobbying can often entail both offense and defense. We employ a bi-cameral, bi-partisan approach to achieve successful outcomes, and have a strong track record of securing appropriations or legislative policy changes for our clients. Above all, we ensure our clients have a seat at the table in all deliberations of consequence to their interests.

Legislative advocacy is one pathway and, in some cases, the only one, but a diverse strategy is often the most effective in achieving favorable policy outcomes for clients. To ensure we are covering the waterfront and approaching our policy goals from all angles, we also actively engage with the Executive branch, including working with the relevant agencies, boards and commissions, and the Governor’s Executive Office.

Top Lobbying Accomplishments:

  • Passage of the Dr. Ron Davis Smoke-Free Air Law, making most restaurants, bars, and other workplaces smoke-free, in 2010.

  • Securing of wage increases in the state budget for the Direct Care Workforce

  • Passage of major statewide reforms to the health insurance prior authorization process, lowering barriers to necessary medications and treatments for Michigan citizens

  • Securing funding for extending Medicaid coverage from 60 days to one year for new mothers

  • Passage of measures strengthening safeguards for persons with disabilities, including reform of guardianship statutes, and ensuring active consumer involvement in behavioral health reform initiatives

Grassroots Campaigns

Sometimes the most effective way to accomplish strategic goals is through a good old-fashioned grassroots effort. McCall Hamilton has extensive and highly successful experience in developing and managing multi-tiered grassroots advocacy campaigns, both within Michigan and as part of larger, multi-state and even national efforts. We maintain an extensive network of relationships across the state to reinforce our ability to support these efforts. Whether its drafting editorials, letters of support, organizing advocacy days at the State Capitol, or even building a new coalition, we specialize in bringing people together to advocate for real change. Our experience is in diverse areas such as energy, telecommunications, and patient access.

Association Management

Because of our extensive work with so many Michigan associations on the lobbying and consulting side, association management is a natural extension to the other services we offer our clients. Often it is more cost-effective for associations to contract with us for these administrative services such as receptionist services, bookkeeping, communications with members, board meeting support, event planning and coordination, and membership recruitment. We create a customized service based on each client’s specific needs.