Pacific Northwest Chapter
Grassroots
The Arthritis Foundation promotes government and private sector action to improve the lives of the 46 million Americans living with arthritis. But we need your help to get more government funding for arthritis research, to encourage early diagnosis and comprehensive treatment, and to improve access to quality health care for everyone with arthritis.
In 2006, our advocates have pushed federal legislation for arthritis prevention, control and cure further than it has ever gone! To read more about the current federal legislation, read the current Arthritis Agenda or visit our advocacy center online .
Assembled here are tools you need to become informed about the issues and to make your voice heard. You will find issue "backgrounders," Arthritis Foundation position statements, as well as links to other Web sites that may be helpful.
Best of all, you can use our links to find your representatives in Congress and to share the most powerful message - your personal story - immediately via email. It just takes a few moments to join the fight!
Become An Advocate -- Join the Arthritis Foundation Advocacy Network
Arthritis Advocacy Priorities -- Read about the issues
Contact Congress-- Quickly locate your legislators and send a message.How You Can Help Take Control of Arthritis
To learn more about arthritis issues or to become a member of our local advocacy network, contact Johanna Lindsay at (206) 547-2707 or via e-mail at jlindsay@arthritis.org.
Link on to ALASKA ARTHRITIS AND OSTEOPOROSIS PLAN to learn more about what the state of Alaska is doing to prevent and control arthritis.
Link on to OREGON STATE ARTHRIS ACTION PLAN to learn more about what the state of Oregon is doing to prevent and control arthritis.
Link on to WASHINGTON STATE ARTHRITIS ACTION PLAN to learn more about what the state of Washington should be doing to prevent and control arthritis. Washington does not currently have a state arthritis program.
To find your legislative district link or e-mail your representatives, go to the Arthritis Foundation Legislative Action Center for Alaska, Oregon or Washington
To learn more about the Alaska State Legislature link on to Alaska Legislature.
To learn more about the Oregon state legislative process, link on to the Citizen's Guide
to the Oregon Legislative Process.
To learn more about the Washington state legislative process, link on to Washington State Legislative Homepage. or The Citizens' Guide to the Washington State Legislature.
TELL YOUR STORY...increase public awareness about arthritis and related diseases....If you're interested in sharing your story with the media and educating the public about arthritis, please contact Johanna Lindsay at (206) 547-2707 or 1-800-746-1821 or email at jlindsay@arthritis.org to find out how you can help spread the word.
MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD--EACH INDIVIDUAL CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE...Together we can make arthritis a state and national priority.
For more information on arthritis issues link on to Advocacy Alert or contact us by phone at 206-547-2707 or 1-800-746-1821.
Federal Updates
To learn more about Arthritis Advocacy Issues and the National Arthritis Action Plan (NAAP) link on to the Arthritis Foundation Advocacy Homepage
Tell Your Senators to Take Action!
The Arthritis Foundation is working hard to ensure that adequate patient protections are included in any patient's bill of rights. These include access to specialists, such as rheumatologists, access to clinical trials, and the right to both fair and timely internal and external appeals. All consumers must have health care choice and access. Let your Representative know how important and necessary these and other patient protections are and that they must be part of any patients' bill of rights considered by Congress.
To learn more about the Federal Legislative Process link on to THOMAS Legislative Information.
LOBBYING FOR ARTHRITIS ISSUES
Lobbying is the process of persuading lawmakers to take a position on specific legislation or educating them on an issue. The following are tools to help make your visit with a legislator or their staff as effective as possible.
TIPS for Meeting with Your Legislators...
If Arthritis is Important to You... Become an Advocate!
Arthritis, as well as being a medical issue, is a political and economic issue. Policy-makers make decisions that impact the lives of the 70 million Americans who have arthritis or a related disease. To positively impact those decisions, the Arthritis Foundation WA/AK Chapter has identified advocacy as one of its top priorities. We need people who are willing to provide a strong voice to remind lawmakers about the need to improve lives through leadership in the prevention, control and cure of arthritis and related diseases.
The Arthritis Foundation WA/AK Chapter maintains a grassroots network to impact state and federal issues of importance to people with arthritis. You can become a member of this network...
Become and Arthritis Advocate now!
Make Your Voice Heard--Each Individual Can Make a Difference... Together we can find a cure.Tell Your Senators to Take Action!
The Arthritis Foundation is working hard to ensure that adequate patient protections are included in any patient's bill of rights. These include access to specialists, such as rheumatologists, access to clinical trials, and the right to both fair and timely internal and external appeals. All consumers must have health care choice and access. Let your Representative know how important and necessary these and other patient protections are and that they must be part of any patients' bill of rights considered by Congress.
