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from Michael Claeys, Community Outreach Coordinator, Parkinson's Action Network, (800)850-4726 ----------------------------------------------- Please post to the Listserve, in case others have similar questions. Rita, Thank you for your question regarding the announced Community Action Team Program. I regret any confusion the program announcement may have caused (and it may be due to the "garble" problem we seem to have when sending messages--a problem we intend to fix). Nonetheless, I am glad you asked, because others may indeed have the same question. The CAT program is not an "entity" in itself. Rather it is a method of organizing, educating and communicating that will make the Parkinson's advocacy community more effective in dealing with Congress this year. It is a no-strings-attached way for any interested individual, or support group, to get access to information and proven advocacy materials, receive instruction and assistance in organizing and advocacy efforts, and to link up with other similarly interested people or groups within the Parkinson's community. In its conception, the CAT program has nothing to do with the meeting in Miami. It was developed to build on the strengths and successes of the past few years, to meet the new challenges of garnering appropriations to fully fund the Udall Act, and to address some of the organizational shortcomings the community present within the advocacy community. When requesting feedback and suggestions from the community, I'm sure we would have heard back individually from most of those attending the meeting in Miami, but as long as they were going to be together in Miami discussing related issues, we thought it wise to ask them to discuss the CAT program as a group. We hope their discussions do result in substantive improvements in the structure and implementation of the program. Similarly, we hope for useful feedback from anyone with an interest in helping the parkinson's community realize its goals for 1998 and beyond. Thank you again for your question. I hope this is a suitable response. If you have further questions or comments, please don't hesitate to contact me. Sincerely, Michael Claeys, Community Outreach Coordinator, Parkinson's Action Network, (800)850-4726