Advocacy

ADVOCACY

Composition and Appointment

Members: In addition to the Chair, Chair-Elect, and Past chair, the number of members is variable (and between 3 and 17), subject to the needs and recommendations of the Chairperson with the approval of the responsible Board Liaison.

Ex-Officio: Ex-officio members may include the appointed leaders of a special event (e.g. Community Forum) for the upcoming meeting (if applicable) when these person/s are not already members of the Advocacy Committee and are liaisons from select like-minded professional and grassroots organizations with similar missions. Ex-officio members are non-voting members.

Terms

Chair: 1 year progressing from Chair-Elect and progressing to Past Chair.

Chair-Elect: 1 year, appointed by consensus of Committee, Board Liaison, and Second Vice President.

Past-Chair: 1 year progressing from Chair. The position holds full voting privileges.

Members: 3 years, which may be renewed for one additional 3-year term. No member may serve more than 6 years on the Committee unless progressing through a leadership role on the committee.

Ex-Officio: 1 year, to coincide with their role with the special events such as the Community Forum at the upcoming Annual Meeting.

Responsibilities

The mission of the Advocacy Committee is to inform and educate AACPDM members to be effective advocates for research, healthcare, and related issues important to both professionals and families of children with cerebral palsy and other developmental disabilities. The Committee aims to collaborate with organizations that share AACPDM's mission in an effort to build a stronger presence in the advocacy realm both nationally and internationally.

Serve as a conduit for relevant advocacy initiatives through the board and to the membership to promote awareness.
Provide guidance to members on how to advocate at the state, national and international levels by updating the advocacy website.
Provide membership with literature to guide direct advocacy for resources related to patient care.
Provide input into the educational activities at the Annual Meeting related to advocacy when applicable.
Subject to Board approval, join forces with relevant organizations to create a larger voice to advocate for research on CP and developmental disorders.

FAST-TRACK for Advocacy

The AACPDM Board approved a process developed by the AACPDM Advocacy Committee for quick review and response of information that includes formal policies, position statements, legislation, or issues or concerns that relate to advocacy for persons with cerebral palsy or other related childhood-onset disability, their families, providers who serve them and or related research or educational concerns.

Advocacy Toolkit

Everyone can be an advocate, whether for an individual patient or for policy changes. Patients and families should be encouraged as self-advocates and given relevant resources to do so.

If you are interested in joining this committee, please complete the Volunteer Application.

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