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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