Advocacy and Participation is Central to Reaching PPAC Goals
PPAC's professional staff monitor the daily business of the State Legislature, coordinate all legislative initiatives and advocate on PPAC's behalf directly with legislators and aligned organizations. Our voluntary Government Affairs Committee provides psychiatric expertise on various bills and prioritizes our objectives. In this way, PPAC remains at the center of activity as policies affecting the delivery of mental health care in California evolves.
Our political action committee is a separate organization, as required by law, and directly contributes to the campaigns of legislators qualified to serve Californians well. To be considered for a PPAC donation, a legislator must care about the mental health of Californians, and support access to, and improvement of the quality of psychiatric care. We interview candidates and contribute to individuals who share our goals in both the primary and general election.
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Key Contact Connection
Members who support the PPAC as Key Contacts play a central role in media, governmental and community relations. Key contacts are the public face of psychiatry in California. As a "media doc," a Key Contact forms important relationships with local media, providing opportunities to present accurate information to the public and to impact public opinion. In addition, our Key Contacts interact with local elected officials and their state legislators, building relationships that help PPAC reach policy and legislative goals.
PPAC is fueled by the active participation of members and through the funds we've outlined above. Please consider how you can contribute to the mission and goals of the PPAC. And, as you commit yourself to active membership, kindly invite your colleagues to join you in making California a national role model for sound mental health policy.
CONTRIBUTE TO ADVOCACY
Your PAC contribution helps PPAC remain active and effective in advocacy efforts throughout the year. Donations demonstrate the strength of our organization and give us the ability to be heard, acknowledged and respected as we advocate for sound and effective mental health policy in California.
Key Contact Alerts
We send you Key Contact Alerts by email, text message or FAX, whichever is most convenient for each individual. These Alerts request urgent action from you on matters of important PPAC policy. Key Contacts are provided with sufficient information to take the requested action. Communication with legislative offices is usually fast and efficient, requiring little investment of your time but potentially having the desired impact - to make PPAC’s position and concerns clear to policy makers throughout the state.
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PPAC Needs You to Become a
Key Contact!
PPAC's Statewide Action Network
Members who serve as Key Contacts are the policy ambassadors of the PPAC. Key Contacts reach out to their legislators regarding bills and policies that impact the quality of mental health care in California. The strength of our voices can be powerful – but only if our members respond expeditiously and in sufficient numbers when called upon for support. In addition, it’s critical that Key Contacts have a grasp of the issues on the table – through this website and regular updates from our Legislative Advocate, we make certain our members are informed and articulate about relevant issues.
Time Constraints?
Being a Key Contact does not require a significant time commitment. Members participate as little or as much as available time allows, and can easily keep up with issues as they arise.
What do Key Contacts Do?
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Write or make phone calls to state legislators about bills or budget items
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Meet with legislators in their district offices (usually you will have allies with you)
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Work on a local campaign
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Participate in campaign events and legislative fundraisers
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Host a fundraiser for key legislators
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Author a newspaper opinion piece or letter to the editor, meet with editorial boards
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Develop expertise in California mental health policy
BECOME A KEY CONTACT!
We Make it Easy
We provide materials to assist in effective letter writing, making appointments with legislators, writing letters to the editor or op-ed pieces, crafting scripts and talking points for meetings and whatever you need to effectively communicate. SIGN ON NOW!
Know Your Legislator
The First Step - If you do not know who your legislators are, please find out by simply CLICKING HERE.