To Californians on the List, and anyone else who could give us a hand:

Tomorrow the California state legislators may give us $355,000. To make it
come true, we should make some noise to reassure them that we need it and
that we'll appreciate it.

The money will be for a center to help people with Parkinson's who can't
otherwise afford quality care.  Gil Cedilla, the Chair of the House
Assembly Budget subcommittee, is from the distrcit near downtown LA, so
naturally  he's in favor of centering it at USC. That makes sense, since it
could hook into the fine program that is already there.  An important part
of the plan is to set up satellite offices to make movement disorders care
more accessible.

Kim Seidman was on her way to the Toronto neurology meeting when she
learned  that this proposal is coming up for discussion so soon.  So she
asked me to let you know about it.  If you'd like to read  the full
proposal, please send me a fax number.

Here's Kim's "action advisory":  please call or fax the members of the
California Assembly Budget subcommittee for health issues.  She's heard
that the  key members are the Los Angeles area assemblypeople.  Below are
her sample letter which could be used as a script for a phone call (but
which should be personalized in some way to be most effective), and a list
of names and numbers of the assemblypeople on the committee.

I've sent this already to the Los Angeles area list that's slowly growing
into a  comfortable network.  If you're an Angeleno whom we've missed,
please send me your e-mail address.  To all of you who are not in sunny
California, please pardon my taking up so much space for a local issue.
Maybe if the Center materializes, it could be a model for other states as
well.  End of soapbox.

Mary Yost
[log in to unmask]
telephone:  310/824-7416

SAMPLE LETTER/SCRIPT
Senator/Assembly Member XXXXXXX
State Capitol
Sacramento, Ca  95814

RE: SUPPORT FOR STATE FUNDING FOR PARKINSON'S DISEASE DIAGNOSIS,
SPECIALIZED TREATMENT AND COMMUNITY EDUCATION PROGRAM

Dear Senator/Assemblymember  xxxxxxx:

I am writing you in support of the National Parkinson Foundation's funding
proposal requesting $355,000 for the establishment and operation of a
Parkinson Disease diagnosis, specialized treatment and community outreach
center located in Los Angeles County.  Los Angeles County has the greatest
concentration of Parkinson's Disease patients in the state, but the center
will serve as a critical resourse for any California Parkinson's Disease
patient, their family and health care professionals in this state.

The proposed center, in addition to being geographically located in an area
with a  high concentration of Parkinson's patients, will take advantage of
existing diagnostic and treatment support and infrastructure at the
University of Southern California School of Medicine.

Early and accurate diagnosis and specialized treatment of Parkinson's
Disease which enables greater patient independence and productivity for
longer periods of time will, potentially, save the State of California
substantial sums of money which would otherwise be allocated to patient
care through the state Medi-Cal Program.   An estimated 23,000 California
nursing home patients suffer from Parkinson's Disease, of whom
approximately 15,000 are projected as Medi-Cal eligible beneficiaries.

Please support this important, cost-effective step for improved treatment
of Parkinson's Disease patients in California.  Thank you.

Sincerely,



***************************************************************************

Budget Subcommittee -- Health

Assembly:
Gil Cedillo, Chair
from  Los Angeles
916/319-2046 Sacramento office
916/319-2146 fax
213/833-2900 Los Angeles office

Sam Aanestad
from Grass Valley
916/319-2003Sacramento office
916/319-2103 fax
530/274-2283 home office

Dion Aroner
from Richmond CA & Berkeley
916/319-2014 Sacramento office
916/319-2114 fax
510/234-0211 or 510-540-3660 home office

Richard Dickerson
from Redding
916/319-2002 Sacramento office
916/319-2102 fax
530/223-6300 home office

Marco Firebaugh
from Huntington Park
916/319-2050 Sacramento office
916/319-2150 fax
323/582-7774 home office


SENATE
Hilda Solis, chair
from El Monte & East  Los Angeles
916/445-1418 Sacramento office
916/445-0485 fax
626-448-1271 or 213-980-9560 home office

Wes Chesbro
from Santa Rosa & Napa & Ukiah
916/445-3375 Sacramento office
916/323-6958 fax
707/576-2771 or 707/224-1990 or 707/468-8914 home office

Ray Haynes
from Riverside
916/445-9871 Sacramento office
916/447-9008 fax
909/782-4111 home office

Deborah Ortiz
from Sacramento and Citrus Heights
916/445-7807 Sacramento office
916/323-2263 fax
916/324-4937 or 916/961-1482 home office

Cathie Wright
from Simi Valley
916/445-8873 Sacramento office
916/324-7544 fax
805/522-2920 home office