I have been asked to Post this by Mike Claeys, Parkinson's Action network=
=0A=0A-------------------------------------------------------------------=
=0A=0A=0ANew Initiative for the New Year=0A=0A=0A=0A     After ending 199=
7 with the historic passage of the Morris K. Udall=0A=0AParkinson=92s Res=
earch Act, the Parkinson=92s community enters 1998 with new=0A=0Alegislat=
ive priorities.  For those who haven=92t yet done so, the first=0A=0Atask=
 is to inform your Representatives and Senators of the Udall Act=92s=0A=
=0Aenactment as part of the fiscal year 1998 Labor/HHS Appropriations bil=
l,=0A=0Aand to thank all those who cosponsored the bill and voted for its=
=0A=0Apassage.=0A=0A=0A=0A     Top priority for this year is to secure ap=
propriations to fully=0A=0Afund the Udall Act.  Reaching this goal will m=
ean a renewed focus on=0A=0Astrengthening the national advocacy network a=
nd improving relations with=0A=0ACongress.  This Action Advisory introduc=
es a new initiative, the=0A=0ACommunity Action Team (CAT) program, design=
ed to help achieve these=0A=0Agoals.  We ask that you review this proposa=
l and respond with your=0A=0Ainterest and input.=0A=0A=0A=0ANew Challenge=
s=0A=0A     The Parkinson=92s community begins 1998 with obvious advantag=
es over=0A=0Aprevious years, and with new  challenges.  As a free-standin=
g bill, the=0A=0AUdall Act was an effective rallying point for the commun=
ity and provided=0A=0Aadvocates with incremental goals and accomplishment=
s (like signing up=0A=0Acosponsors) on the way to passage.  Without the o=
rganizing and=0A=0Amotivating influence of a Parkinson=92s-specific bill,=
 it is necessary to=0A=0Aadapt the successful advocacy techniques of 1997=
 to the new legislative=0A=0Arealities of 1998=97specifically, the comple=
x process of securing=0A=0Aappropriations.  Succeeding in this legislativ=
e environment will require=0A=0AParkinson=92s advocates to focus their ef=
forts on improving two general=0A=0Aareas: community organization and com=
munication with Congress.=0A=0A=0A=0A     To ensure full funding of the U=
dall Act, greater emphasis will be=0A=0Aput on contact with the House and=
 Senate Appropriations Committees, in=0A=0Aparticular the Labor/HHS Subco=
mmittees.  This requires establishing and=0A=0Aorganizing effective advoc=
acy campaigns in the states and districts of=0A=0Aeach member of these im=
portant committees, building strong relationships=0A=0Awith those members=
 and their staffs, and communicating to them the needs=0A=0Aand prioritie=
s of the Parkinson=92s community.=0A=0A=0A=0AThe Community Action Team Pr=
ogram=0A=0A     To meet these goals, we propose establishment of Communit=
y Action=0A=0ATeams (CATs)=97independent cells of advocates participating=
 in a=0A=0Acoordinated advocacy campaign to provide greater organization =
within the=0A=0AParkinson=92s community, raise public awareness of Parkin=
son=92s and to=0A=0Acommunicate more effectively with all levels of gover=
nment.=0A=0A=0A=0A     CATs are not another Parkinson=92s organizational =
entity, or another=0A=0Alevel of bureaucracy.  Rather, the CAT network is=
 a practical system for=0A=0Abuilding on the community=92s strengths and =
successes, and organizing=0A=0Aaround commonly accepted goals.  The inten=
t is to take advantage of the=0A=0Aexperience and organization which alre=
ady exists within the community,=0A=0Aexpand it, and focus its efforts in=
 productive ways.=0A=0A=0A=0A     CATs will not be designated by size, af=
filiation with any=0A=0Aestablished national, regional or local group, pa=
yment of dues or=0A=0Aadherence to any bylaws.  Designation will be based=
 on two simple=0A=0Acriteria:=0A=0A1)  willingness to pursue the communit=
y goals of greater organization=0A=0Aand more effective=0A=0A       commu=
nication with government; and=0A=0A2)  familiarity with and use of common=
 advocacy materials and=0A=0Atechniques.=0A=0A=0A=0A     Each CAT will ha=
ve a recognized leader, or be lead by committee.=0A=0AFor purposes of bui=
lding an efficient communication network, each CAT=0A=0Awill designate on=
e contact person.  Ideally, each contact person will=0A=0Ahave a telephon=
e answering machine (or voice mail), access to a fax=0A=0Amachine, and th=
e ability to receive, send and print email=0A=0Acommunications.  However,=
 such technical proficiency is not as important=0A=0Aas establishing a co=
mpetent and reliable means of exchanging=0A=0Ainformation.=0A=0A=0A=0A   =
  Efficient communications also require CATs to be organized into a=0A=0A=
hierarchical structure for regions, states, Congressional districts and=
=0A=0Aother areas where groups may overlap.  This structure will undoubte=
dly=0A=0Abecome apparent as the CAT program progresses, and will adapt to=
=0A=0Aaccommodate additional CATs.=0A=0A=0A=0A     It is expected that th=
e CAT network will closely parallel the=0A=0Acurrent infrastructure of Pa=
rkinson=92s support groups and established=0A=0Alocal activists.  CATs ar=
e also intended to appeal to active individuals=0A=0Anot involved with tr=
aditional support group activities.=0A=0A=0A=0AMaterials=0A=0A     An imp=
ortant part of the CAT program will be the distribution and=0A=0Ause of a=
 common set of fundamental advocacy materials.  These materials=0A=0Awill=
 help ensure a well informed and uniformly equipped advocacy=0A=0Acommuni=
ty, and will in turn help establish a clearer, more effective=0A=0Adialog=
ue within the CAT network as well as with Congress.  Each CAT will=0A=0Ab=
e provided with a foundation of advocacy and informational materials,=0A=
=0Aincluding:=0A=0A=0A=0A- Community Action Team list, contact persons an=
d essential information=0A=0A- Congressional Handbook=0A=0A- Sample Lette=
r to Congress=0A=0A- Sample Letter to Editor=0A=0A- Sample Letter From Sc=
ientist/Researcher to Member of Congress=0A=0A- Sample Letter From Member=
 of Congress to NIH or NINDS=0A=0A- Copy of Udall Act of 1997 and all rel=
evant accompanying report language=0A=0A- Detailed review of passage of U=
dall Act, report language, increases in=0A=0ANIH and NINDS budgets, and e=
xplanation of how they relate to each other=0A=0Aand what it means=0A=0A-=
A To-Do List, or Check List of basic information each CAT will need to=0A=
=0Aknow, and advocacy goals each should pursue=0A=0A     Other advocacy a=
nd informational materials will also be available,=0A=0Aand new materials=
 generated as necessary.  We hope for your input and=0A=0Asuggestions reg=
arding materials.=0A=0A=0A=0AWhere to Start=0A=0A1.  Anyone interested in=
 creating a CAT or having their current group=0A=0Adesignated a CAT shoul=
d contact Michael Claeys at (800) 850-4726.=0A=0A2.  Work within your loc=
al Parkinson=92s community to find people wishing=0A=0Ato become active a=
nd participate in the CAT.=0A=0A3.  Designate a CAT leader and/or contact=
 person (may be the same=0A=0Aindividual).=0A=0A4.  Contact your Represen=
tative and two Senators.  If appropriate, thank=0A=0Athem for supporting =
the Udall bill in 1997 (PAN can provide information=0A=0Aon your legislat=
ors).  Provide them with information on Parkinson=92s=0A=0Adisease, your =
group=92s interest, and the community=92s legislative=0A=0Apriorities for=
 1998.  (The CAT materials will contain this information.)=0A=0A=0A=0A   =
  The highest priority areas for establishing CATs are in the states=0A=
=0Aand districts of the members of the Senate and House Labor/HHS=0A=0AAp=
propriations Subcommittees (see box this page).  Other priorities are=0A=
=0Athe states and districts of the members of the full Appropriations=0A=
=0ACommittees, the House and Senate Authorizing Committees, the=0A=0ACong=
ressional Leadership, and any Member with a particular interest in=0A=0AP=
arkinson=92s or medical research.  While these are the top priorities,=0A=
=0Aremember that every Member of Congress is important and should be=0A=
=0Aencouraged to become a Parkinson=92s champion.=0A=0A=0A=0ACAT Leaders=
=0A=0A     Given the greater degree of organization and communication sou=
ght=0A=0Aby the CAT program, CAT leaders will require a solid understandi=
ng of=0A=0Athe program, the advocacy materials and techniques used, and t=
he federal=0A=0Alegislative process.  Leaders are encouraged to thoroughl=
y review the=0A=0Amaterials provided, and to contact Michael Claeys with =
any questions.=0A=0A=0A=0A     In addition to the basic advocacy training=
 provided, PAN=92s June=0A=0A1998 Public Policy Forum will include specia=
l advanced training sessions=0A=0Afor CAT leaders.  During the Forum, CAT=
 leaders will also be asked to=0A=0Aplay a greater role training less exp=
erienced advocates.=0A=0A=0A=0AFeedback=0A=0A     As with any community-b=
ased effort, the CAT program will only be as=0A=0Asuccessful as the peopl=
e who participate in it.  The Network would=0A=0Aappreciate your feedback=
 on the Community Action Team initiative, and=0A=0Ayour suggestions for h=
ow to make it as effective as possible.  Please=0A=0Asend your comments t=
o the attention of Michael Claeys, Parkinson=92s=0A=0AAction Network, 818=
 College Avenue, Suite C, Santa Rosa, CA, 95404.=0A=0ATelephone: (800)850=
-4726  Fax: (707)544-2363  Email: [log in to unmask]
----- Headers --------------------------------=0A=0AFrom: "Parkinson's Ac=
tion Network" <[log in to unmask]>=0AReply-To: [log in to unmask]: P=
arkinson's Action Network=0A