• Many APhA-ASP members are familiar with the annual Many APhA-ASP members are familiar with the annual “Winter is Cold, but Advocacy is Hot” Political Action “Winter is Cold, but Advocacy is Hot” Political Action Committee (PAC) fundraiserCommittee (PAC) fundraiser

• The purpose of the APhA-PAC’s is to support candidates The purpose of the APhA-PAC’s is to support candidates for federal office who have demonstrated support for for federal office who have demonstrated support for pharmacy issuespharmacy issues

• The PAC is a voluntary association of APhA members The PAC is a voluntary association of APhA members who share political objectives and pool their resources who share political objectives and pool their resources to increase the impact of their contributions to to increase the impact of their contributions to candidates who support the professioncandidates who support the profession

• This year, the PAC fundraiser campaign gets a makeover with This year, the PAC fundraiser campaign gets a makeover with a new name and fresh logoa new name and fresh logo

• Your chapter can have a hand in choosing the new name by Your chapter can have a hand in choosing the new name by visiting visiting http://fs8.formsite.com/APhA-ASP/PACName/index.html http://fs8.formsite.com/APhA-ASP/PACName/index.html and voting for one of the following:and voting for one of the following:1.1. Back the PACBack the PAC2.2. Change ChallengeChange Challenge3.3. Conquer the CapitolConquer the Capitol4.4. PAC It Up- PAC It InPAC It Up- PAC It In5.5. Power up the PACPower up the PAC6.6. Propel the PACPropel the PAC

• Voting ends 11/25 at 11:59pm PSTVoting ends 11/25 at 11:59pm PST

• This year’s fundraising campaign will run from 12/1/13 – This year’s fundraising campaign will run from 12/1/13 – 3/1/143/1/14

• Get involved in some of the following ways:Get involved in some of the following ways:– Play a pharmacy trivia game or “Pharmacy Law Quiz Bowl” and Play a pharmacy trivia game or “Pharmacy Law Quiz Bowl” and

require a donation to participate. Offer prizes to enhance require a donation to participate. Offer prizes to enhance participationparticipation

– Host a “State of the Union Address Party” with refreshments Host a “State of the Union Address Party” with refreshments and charge a small fee to attendand charge a small fee to attend

– Raffle tickets to the APhA Political Leadership Reception at the Raffle tickets to the APhA Political Leadership Reception at the Annual MeetingAnnual Meeting

– Hold “Pizza and Policy” evening and ask members for a small Hold “Pizza and Policy” evening and ask members for a small admission feeadmission fee

• Throughout 2013, achieving provider status for Throughout 2013, achieving provider status for pharmacists has been the at the forefront of APhA’s pharmacists has been the at the forefront of APhA’s advocacy effortsadvocacy efforts

• APhA has pledged $1.5 million to accomplish this goal APhA has pledged $1.5 million to accomplish this goal and has partnered with a number of other national and has partnered with a number of other national pharmacy organizations to develop a shared vision and pharmacy organizations to develop a shared vision and plan for achieving provider statusplan for achieving provider status

• Student members of APhA-ASP have actively Student members of APhA-ASP have actively contributed to this advocacy movement by participating contributed to this advocacy movement by participating in the Policy Postcard Challenge, attending legislative in the Policy Postcard Challenge, attending legislative days, and coordinating letter writing campaignsdays, and coordinating letter writing campaigns

• In your advocacy efforts In your advocacy efforts there may be times when there may be times when you have only a few you have only a few seconds to communicate seconds to communicate the idea and importance the idea and importance of this issueof this issue

• In these cases, a pre-In these cases, a pre-prepared “elevator pitch” prepared “elevator pitch” can be invaluable in can be invaluable in concisely communicating concisely communicating your pointyour point

• As a student pharmacist, you can help to achieve As a student pharmacist, you can help to achieve provider status in the following ways:provider status in the following ways:1.1. Participate in an Academy-wide Facebook campaign Participate in an Academy-wide Facebook campaign

promoting provider statuspromoting provider status2.2. Attend webinars throughout the year related to provider Attend webinars throughout the year related to provider

statusstatus3.3. Compete in the APhA-ASP Policy Postcard Challenge! An Compete in the APhA-ASP Policy Postcard Challenge! An

overview of the challenge and all necessary documents can overview of the challenge and all necessary documents can be found at the following link: be found at the following link: http://www.pharmacist.com/apha-asp-policy-postcard-http://www.pharmacist.com/apha-asp-policy-postcard-challengechallenge

• With the Policy Postcard Challenge in With the Policy Postcard Challenge in full swing, it is not too late to print out full swing, it is not too late to print out those postcards and advocate for our those postcards and advocate for our professionprofession

• The reporting period for the challenge The reporting period for the challenge is October 1, 2013 – March 1, 2014is October 1, 2013 – March 1, 2014

• The postcard template and procedures The postcard template and procedures and guidelines for the challenge can be and guidelines for the challenge can be accessed at: accessed at: http://www.pharmacist.com/apha-http://www.pharmacist.com/apha-asp-policy-postcard-challengeasp-policy-postcard-challenge

1.1. If my chapter has been using our own postcard template before the reporting period If my chapter has been using our own postcard template before the reporting period began, can we count those postcards towards the challenge?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 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.allow postcards sent prior to the reporting period to count towards your chapter’s total.

2.2. Can our chapter modify the postcard template?Can our chapter modify the postcard template?In regards to the front, APhA-ASP requests that the front of the postcard be printed in In regards to the front, APhA-ASP requests that the front of the postcard be printed in color and not be edited in any way. In regards to the back, APhA-ASP requests that the color and not be edited in any way. In regards to the back, APhA-ASP requests that the back of the postcard no be edited other than adding your chapter, university, school, or 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 APhA logo.college of pharmacy logo in the section to the right of the APhA logo.

3.3. What if the patient doesn’t feel comfortable leaving their name and full address?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 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 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 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 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 as this is the minimum amount of information required to identify the patient’s legislators and mail the postcard. and mail the postcard.