Policy Standing Committee November 2013 SPARC Annual PAC

Policy Standing Committee November 2013 SPARC

Annual PAC Fundraiser Revamped • Many APh. A-ASP members are familiar with the annual “Winter is Cold, but Advocacy is Hot” Political Action Committee (PAC) fundraiser • The purpose of the APh. A-PAC’s is to support candidates for federal office who have demonstrated support for pharmacy issues • The PAC is a voluntary association of APh. A members who share political objectives and pool their resources to increase the impact of their contributions to candidates who support the profession

Annual PAC Fundraiser Revamped • This year, the PAC fundraiser campaign gets a makeover with a new name and fresh logo • Your chapter can have a hand in choosing the new name by visiting http: //fs 8. formsite. com/APh. AASP/PACName/index. html and voting for one of the following: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. • Back the PAC Change Challenge Conquer the Capitol PAC It Up- PAC It In Power up the PAC Propel the PAC Voting ends 11/25 at 11: 59 pm PST

Annual PAC Fundraiser Revamped • This year’s fundraising campaign will run from 12/1/13 – 3/1/14 • Get involved in some of the following ways: – Play a pharmacy trivia game or “Pharmacy Law Quiz Bowl” and require a donation to participate. Offer prizes to enhance participation – Host a “State of the Union Address Party” with refreshments and charge a small fee to attend – Raffle tickets to the APh. A Political Leadership Reception at the Annual Meeting – Hold “Pizza and Policy” evening and ask members for a small admission fee

Provider Status Update • Throughout 2013, achieving provider status for pharmacists has been the at the forefront of APh. A’s advocacy efforts • APh. A has pledged $1. 5 million to accomplish this goal and has partnered with a number of other national pharmacy organizations to develop a shared vision and plan for achieving provider status • Student members of APh. A-ASP have actively contributed to this advocacy movement by participating in the Policy Postcard Challenge, attending legislative days, and coordinating letter writing campaigns

Provider Status Update • In your advocacy efforts there may be times when you have only a few seconds to communicate the idea and importance of this issue • In these cases, a preprepared “elevator pitch” can be invaluable in concisely communicating your point

Provider Status Update • As a student pharmacist, you can help to achieve provider status in the following ways: 1. Participate in an Academy-wide Facebook campaign promoting provider status 2. Attend webinars throughout the year related to provider status 3. Compete in the APh. A-ASP Policy Postcard Challenge! An overview of the challenge and all necessary documents can be found at the following link: http: //www. pharmacist. com/apha-asp-policy-postcardchallenge

Policy Postcard Challenge Update • With the Policy Postcard Challenge in full swing, it is not too late to print out those postcards and advocate for our profession • The reporting period for the challenge is October 1, 2013 – March 1, 2014 • The postcard template and procedures and guidelines for the challenge can be accessed at: http: //www. pharmacist. com/apha-asp -policy-postcard-challenge

Policy Postcard Challenge FAQs 1. 2. 3. If my chapter has been using our own postcard template before the reporting period began, can we count those postcards towards the challenge? Unfortunately, we would not be able to count it for the Challenge. It would not be fair to allow postcards sent prior to the reporting period to count towards your chapter’s total. Can our chapter modify the postcard template? In regards to the front, APh. A-ASP requests that the front of the postcard be printed in color and not be edited in any way. In regards to the back, APh. A-ASP requests that the back of the postcard no be edited other than adding your chapter, university, school, or college of pharmacy logo in the section to the right of the APh. A logo. What if the patient doesn’t feel comfortable leaving their name and full address? Explain to the patient that it is better to have their complete information so that the legislator the postcard is sent to knows that it is coming from a constituent, and assure him/her that this information will only be used for the purpose of mailing the postcard. If the patient still does not wish to include their complete information, ask for their zip code as this is the minimum amount of information required to identify the patient’s legislators and mail the postcard.