September Student Political Action Resources and Communication

Name, Office

SPAN Student Political Action Resources and Communications (SPARC)

• SPARC Goals– Facilitate advocacy efforts on the chapter level– Enhance communication between the APhA-ASP

Policy Standing Committee and individual chapter members

– Update chapters on important legislative events that have the potential to impact the profession of pharmacy

Outline

• American Pharmacists Month• Event Spotlight: DEA Drug Take-Back Day• Call for Submissions: Chapter Spotlight

American Pharmacists Month

• October is American Pharmacists Month (APhM)– History– Theme and purpose– Preparing for APhM– Ideas for your chapter–Media outlets– Resources

A Brief History• “National Pharmaceutical Week” proposed by

Robert J. Ruth, a pharmacist from Asheville, NC, at the 1924 APhA Annual Meeting– First celebration on October 11-17, 1925

• American Pharmacists Month launched in 2004– In 2005, U.S. President George W. Bush

acknowledged the important role pharmacy professionals play in the lives of Americans

Theme and Purpose

• Recognize the commitment to patient care and contributions to health care made by pharmacists in all practice settings

• Motivate your colleagues• Educate your patients• Engage and Inspire your

community

Preparing for APhM• Start planning early!• Who is your target audience?– Colleagues in pharmacy, the community, patients,

other health care professionals, lawmakers• How will you advertise your events?• Select media outlets to tell your story

Ideas for Your Chapter• Incorporate your pharmacy colleagues– Find out how your state pharmacy association plans to

observe APhM– Hold a faculty and staff or alumni appreciation

breakfast at your school or college of pharmacy– Host a celebratory lunch or

social event for all student pharmacists

– Encourage local pharmacistsjoin your efforts by holding a health fair and displaying APhM décor

Ideas for Your Chapter

• Target your community– Schedule a patient care project program (e.g.

Operation Immunization) and promote APhM– Visit a local high school and talk to students about

careers in pharmacy– Choose innovative

locations: airports, theaters, sporting events, flee markets

–Multilingual advertisements

Ideas for Your Chapter

• Target your lawmakers– Invite your members of

Congress to visit your school or college of pharmacy

– Ask your patients to share their experiences with pharmacists and student pharmacists with their legislators

– Encourage your elected officials (e.g. mayors, city managers, and state governors) to designate October as American Pharmacists Month

Make Your Mark in the Media Day:October 17th

• Media Outlets: Billboards, newspapers, morning talk shows, radio talk shows

• Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube‒ Facebook: Post our daily pharmacy facts‒ Twitter: Share what your chapter is doing for

APhM using the hashtag #APhM2012‒ Youtube: Post videos on

the APhA-ASP account showcasing how your chapter is advocating during APhM

Generating Media Interest

• Tools for communicating newsworthy events to the media– Pitch letters– News releases– Media advisories (or media alerts)– Media kits

APhM Resources

• Order merchandise to promote your APhM events, thank your patients, recognize your colleagues, or sell as a fundraiser– http://aphanet.source4.com/b2c/Sites/APhANet/

index.asp• APhM Planning Guide• Tips for generating media interest• Patient education resources– http://www.pharmacist.com/american-

pharmacists-month-2012

Resolutions in Action

• 2012.3 Proper Medication Disposal and Drug Take-Back Programs

1. APhA-ASP encourages the implementation of standardized guidelines for the proper disposal of unused or expired medications…

2. APhA-ASP supports state and federal regulations that allow pharmacies to take back unused or expired medications…

3. APhA-ASP encourages pharmacists and student pharmacists to serve as a source of information for the public on the proper disposal of unused or expired medications.

• September 29th, 2012• Purpose is to allow general public to safely dispose

of unwanted or unused prescription medication• How to get involved– Serve as a resource to educate the public on proper

medication disposal– Assist law enforcement in collection efforts– Grassroots Advocacy

Event Highlight: DEA Drug Take-Back Day

DEA Drug Take-Back DayResources

• Resources:– http://www.smarxtdisposal.net/– http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/

takeback/– http://www.fda.gov/drugs/resourcesforyou/

consumers/buyingusingmedicinesafely/ensuringsafeuseofmedicine/safedisposalofmedicines/ucm186187.htm

• Next month, we are spotlighting…– You?– Tell the Policy Standing Committee what policy

and advocacy events your chapter is doing.– We will select one chapter to spotlight in each

SPARC (you’ll be famous in front of all the other APhA-ASP chapters).

– You could even find yourself on the APhA-ASP Facebook page!

Chapter Spotlight

APhA-ASP Webinar Series:Promote Your Profession!

Join the Policy Standing CommitteeThursday, September 13th

9:00PM ESTLearn how to easily advocate for your profession

during American Pharmacists Month, the upcoming election season, and throughout the

year!You can also find these webinar slides under

Chapter Officer Resources on pharmacist.com

Your Regional Delegate

Your Regional Delegate is:

Adam LoysonUniversity of Michiganloysonad@umich.edu

2012-2013 APhA-ASP Policy Standing Committee

• Athena Brand, Chair, University of Texas– athenalvbrand@gmail.com

• Autumn Bagwell, Vice-chair, Samford University– adbagwel@samford.edu– Regions 3 and 5

• Kayli Hall, University of Nebraska Medical Center– khalla@unmc.edu– Regions 1 and 2

• Mika Bhakta, University of the Pacific– b_bhakta@u.pacific.edu– Regions 6 and 8

• Catlin Goodfriend, University of Washington– ctolzman@uw.edu– Regions 4 and 7