Title: APHA Call For Advocacy

Author:

Section/SPIG: Injury Control and Emergency Health Services

Issue Date:

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APHA'S E-ADVOCACY TOOL
In January APHA purchased its first e-advocacy tool to help mobilize its members to send letters to their members of Congress electronically. In the last six months APHA has organized several advocacy efforts through the system. In June APHA used its e-advocacy tool to rally more than 1,500 public health professionals to send electronic letters to their members of Congress. As members become comfortable with this tool, APHA anticipates that these numbers will dramatically increase as our members become more familiar with the system. APHA's new advocacy tool has many great features that we encourage all members and public health professionals to use when advocating on behalf of a public health issue. These resources include:

• Mega Vote <www.capwiz.com/apha/megavote/>: Sign up to receive a weekly e-mail on how your Senators and Representative voted during the week on important issues. APHA provides this resource through our e-advocacy site.

• Elected Official Finder <www.capwiz.com/apha/dbq/officials/>: Find biographical information on elected officials including the president, members of congress and agency heads.

• Issues and Legislation <www.capwiz.com/apha/issues>: In this section you will find Capitol Hill Basics, pending public health legislation and key public health votes.

• Media Guide <www.capwiz.com/apha/media/>: Send electronic letters to the editor on issues important to public health directly to your local media outlets with APHA's media advocacy tool.

• Legislative Action Center <www.capwiz.com/apha/issues/>: See the latest APHA Action Alerts. Send emails to your members of Congress on legislation important to APHA. This tool also always members to customize our list.

JOIN APHA'S LEGISLATIVE NETWORK
APHA staff works hard to ensure that public health is being fairly represented on Capitol Hill. More than ever, this is a critical time for public health. As public health professionals, APHA needs your help to ensure that our needs and accomplishments are being recognized on Capitol Hill. The most powerful message a member of Congress receives comes from a constituent in his/her home district. That is why it is essential that APHA have a legislative advocacy network. APHA has a strong membership base, and it is paramount to show our association's power by intensifying our advocacy efforts. Having a network of public health professionals willing to take action is essential to ensuring that the legislative priorities of APHA are addressed. While APHA will continue to request that its membership as a whole take action on issues effecting public health, the legislative network will serve as the "grass tops" of APHA entire Advocacy network. Join Now! www.apha.org/legislative/eform.cfm

APHA appreciates the advocacy efforts of its members and the entire public health community on issues that ultimately affect all of America. Members of APHA can view a more in-depth legislative update on APHA's web site. This legislative update is updated weekly. www.apha.org/private/legislative.htm

ACTION BOARD
APHA's Government Relations staff works very closely with the Action Board on advocacy efforts within Sections. The Action Board is made up of a representative from each Section, a member at large and three Affiliate members. This year the Action Board divided up into three work groups that addressed APHA's three priority areas: health disparities, access to health care and infrastructure. The Health Disparities workgroup contributed a lot of their expertise to staff from Senators Frist and Kennedy's offices. If you are interested in getting more involved in APHA advocacy efforts through your Section, please contact your Action Board Member, <www.apha.org/private/action/2003_roster.htm>.

HILL VISITS OR SECTION LEGISLATIVE EFFORTS
If members of your section participated in Hill visits or other legislative activities that might also be beneficial to highlight. For example Dr. Steven Wallace, chair-elect of the Gerontological Health Section, was one of three speakers at Congressman Watson's Town Hall Meeting on Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage on July 19th.

ADDING ADVOCACY WEB STICKER TO YOUR SECTION SITE
Also remember you can add the Write Your Member of Congress icon directly to your Section Web site. This will allow your section members to take action directly form your site. You can download a Web sticker at <www.capwiz.com/apha/remotecontent/>.

If you would like additional information about APHA's advocacy efforts, please contact:

Lakitia Mayo
Director of Grassroots Advocacy and Affiliate Affairs
American Public Health Association
800 I Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 777-2515 Phone
(202) 777-2532 Fax
lakitia.mayo@apha.org
www.apha.org

- Submitted by Billie Weiss