Info - Where to Write

Who to send letters of support to (via e-mail, fax or phone)....
These are the 13 State Assembly Health Committee Members which need to be contacted now. Sending letters, e-mails and/or calls directed to their District Office as well as their Capitol Office is a good idea.

(D) Wilma Chan - Chair of the Health Committee http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a16/
Sacramento Office:
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA
94249-0016
Ph: (916) 319-2016/Fax: (916) 319-2116
District Office:
1515 Clay Street
Suite 2204
Oakland, CA 94612
Ph: (510) 286-1670/ Fax: (510) 286-1888
Assemblymember.Chan@assembly.ca.gov


(D) Patty Berg
http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a01/
Sacramento Office:
State Capitol
PO Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0001
Ph: (916) 319-2001/Fax: (916) 319-2101
District Office:
50 "D" Street, Suite 450
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
Ph: (707) 576-2526/Fax: (707) 576-2297
Assemblymember.Berg@assembly.ca.gov

(D) Rebecca Cohn
http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a24/
Capitol Office
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0024
Ph: (916) 319-2024/ Fax: (916) 319-2124
District Office
100 Paseo De San Antonio, Suite 319
San Jose, CA 95113
Ph: (408) 282-8920/ Fax: (408) 282-8927
Assemblymember.Cohn@assembly.ca.gov

(D) Mervyn Dymally
http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a52/
Capitol Office
State Capitol
PO Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0052
Ph: (916) 319-2052
District Office
322 W. Compton Boulevard, Suite 100
Compton, CA 90220
Ph: (310) 223-1201
Assemblymember.Dymally@assembly.ca.gov

(D) Dario Frommer
http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a43/
STATE CAPITOL
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0043
Phone: (916) 319-2043 Fax: (916) 319-2143
DISTRICT OFFICE
620 N. Brand Boulevard, Suite 403
Glendale, CA 91203
Phone: (818) 240-6330 Fax: (818) 2404632
Assemblymember.Frommer@assembly.ca.gov

(D) Mike Gordon
http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a53/
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0053
(916) 319-2053 (916) 319-2153 fax
District:
1700 East Walnut Avenue, Suite 601
El Segundo, CA 90245
(310) 615-3515 (310) 615-3520 fax
Assemblymember.Gordon@assembly.ca.gov

(D) Dave Jones
http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a09/
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0009
(916) 319-2009 (916) 319-2109 fax
District
915 "L" Street, Suite 110
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 324-4676 (916) 327-3338 fax
Assemblymember.Jones@assembly.ca.gov

(D) Cindy Montanez
http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a39/
District Office
11541 Laurel Canyon Boulevard, Ste. C
Mission Hills, CA 91345
Ph: (818) 838-3939/Fax: (818) 838-3931
Sacramento Office:
State Capitol, Room 3013
Sacramento, CA 95814
Ph: (916) 319-2039/ Fax: (916) 3192139
Assemblymember.Montenez@assembly.ca.gov

(D) Gloria Negrete McLeod
http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a61/
District Office
4959 Palo Verde Street, Suite 100B
Montclair, CA 91763
Phone: (909) 621-2783 Fax: (909) 621-7483
Capitol Office
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0061
Phone: (916)319-2061 Fax: (916) 319-2161
Assemblymember.McLeod@assembly.ca.gov

(R) Greg Aghazarian - Vice Chair of the Health Committee http://republican.assembly.ca.gov/members/index.asp?Dist=26&lang=1
Capitol OfficeState Capitol
Room 4167
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 319-2026 Fax: (916) 319-2126
Stockton District Office
4557 Quail Lakes Dr.,Suite C-3
Stockton, CA 95207
Phone: 209-473-6972 Fax: 209-473-6977
Assemblymember.Aghazarian@assembly.ca.gov

(R) Alan Nakanishi
http://republican.assembly.ca.gov/members/index.asp?Dist=10&Lang=1&Body=&RefID=0&WelcomeID=&SurveyTitleID=
Capitol Office
State Capitol, Room 5175
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0010
Phone: (916) 319-2010 Fax: (916) 319-2110
Lodi District Office
218 W. Pine Street
Lodi, CA 95241
Phone: (209) 333-5330 Fax: (209) 333-5333
Assemblymember.Nakanishi@assembly.ca.gov

(R) Keith Richmond, Dr.
http://republican.assembly.ca.gov/members/index.asp?Dist=38&Lang=1&Body=&RefID=0&WelcomeID=&SurveyTitleID=
Capitol Office
State Capitol Room 5128
Sacramento, CA 94249-0038
Phone: 916-319-2038 Fax: 916-319-2138
Granada Hills District Office
10727 White Oak Ave. Suite #124
Granada Hills, CA 91344
Phone: (818) 368-3838 Fax: (818) 885-3307
Assemblymember.Richmond@assembly.ca.gov

(R) Audra Strickland
http://republican.assembly.ca.gov/members/index.asp?Dist=37&Lang=1&Body=&RefID=0&WelcomeID=&SurveyTitleID=
Capitol Office
State CapitolRoom 4208
Sacramento, CA 94249-0037
Phone: (916) 319-2037 Fax: (916) 319-2137
Westlake District Office
2659 Townsgate Road, Suite 236
Westlake Village, CA 91361
Phone: 805-230-9167 Phone: 805-230-9183
Assemblymember.Strickland@assembly.ca.gov

Please CC: letters and e-mails of support to: Tamara Odisho e-mails address: Tamara.Odisho@asm.ca.gov
Legislative Aide Office of Assemblymember Fran Pavley
Forty-first Assembly District
916.319.2978 direct
916.319.2141 fax

Sample Letter (drafted by RSD'er Toni Amarel of Folsom, CA, www.toni-crps.com ):
(Date)
Assemblyperson (insert name of legislator you're sending letter to) Address City, State, Zip
Dear Assemblymember (insert here last name of legislator);On February 22nd, the Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD) Education Bill (AB 1648) was introduced. Please vote “Yes” on this very important health bill for our golden state when it comes up for a vote before your health committee. An estimated 1.5 to 6 million Americans suffer from the devastating effects RSD. Yet, RSD remains virtually unheard of. What is RSD? RSD is a progressive neurological disease with constant chronic pain as its main symptom. Furthermore, it is a debilitating disease that if left untreated can spread to all parts of the body leaving the patient completely disabled. If diagnosed early and with appropriate medical care, it can be successfully treated. However, most patients have extreme difficulty getting a timely diagnosis. Why? Because, the medical community as a whole is not educated about what causes RSD or how to diagnosis and successfully treat it. Anyone, young or old can get RSD. (Here, please insert a brief discription of your RSD experience-- 3 to 4 sentences at the most) (Here's what Toni wrote...) I have personally suffered with RSD since 1998 and this disease has wreaked havoc on my life. My family and I have suffered from extreme financial hardships due to mounting medical costs, prolonged family disruption, social isolation, diminished quality of life, depression and anxiety. The sad reality is that if I had received early diagnosis and appropriate treatment I could have been cured. Instead, I will endure of lifetime sentence with RSD. Education is the key to successful diagnosis and treatment of RSD. No one should have to suffer a lifetime of excruciating pain from RSD. RSD can be successfully treated and at times put into remission. We must educate our medical community and our population about RSD so as to prevent RSD from claiming the life of another person. We must act now to pass the RSD Education Bill. I urge you, as stewards of our golden state, to vote yes on the RSD Education Bill. Your yes vote will be the first step in educating our medical community and California’s population about RSD. Sincerely,(Your Name)(City, State)(How long you've had RSD, i.e., RSD since 1998)

Text of California RSD Education Bill: BILL NUMBER: AB 1648
INTRODUCED BILL TEXT
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Pavley(Principal coauthors: Senators Escutia and Soto)(Coauthors: Assembly Members Dymally, Goldberg, Hancock, Oropeza,Wolk, Senators Figueroa and Kuehl)

FEBRUARY 22, 2005
An act to add Chapter 5.5 (commencing with Section 104307) to Part1 of Division 103 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to health, and making an appropriation therefor.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1648, as introduced, Pavley. Reflex sympathetic dystrophy. Under existing law the State Department of Health Services conducts a program for the control of high blood pressure and maintains a program for the prevention of blindness. This bill would require the department to establish and implement the Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Education and Research Program.This bill would establish the continuously appropriated Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Fund for the purposes of this bill. Vote: majority. Appropriation: yes. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Education and Research Program Act.
SEC. 2. The Legislature finds and declares the following:
(a)Reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD), also know as complex regional pain, is a debilitating and progressively chronic condition characterized by severe burning pain, pathological changes in bone and skin, excessive sweating, tissue swelling, and extreme sensitivity to touch.
(b) More specifically, RSD is thought to be a nerve disorder that generally occurs at the site of a minor or major trauma injury, but may also occur without an apparent injury to the afflicted person.
(c) While the causes of RSD are unknown, it is thought to be the result of damaged nerves of the sympathetic nervous system.
(d) The disorder is unique in that it simultaneously affects the nerves, skin, muscles, blood vessels, and bones, and if untreated, can result in permanent deformity and chronic pain.
(e) RSD is often misdiagnosed because this condition is either unknown or is poorly understood; the prognosis for patients suffering from RSD is generally much better when the condition is identified and treated as early as possible, ideally within three months of identifying the first symptoms.
(f) If treatment is delayed, the disorder can quickly spread to the entire limb, and changes in bone and muscle may become irreversible, resulting in limited mobility, atrophy of the muscles, and eventual permanent disability of patients.
(g) Since a delay in diagnosis or treatment for this debilitative condition can result in severe physical and physiological problems, and early recognition and prompt treatment of RSD provides the greatest opportunity for recovery, it is in the best interest of the public to establish a program to educate both individuals and medical professionals regarding this debilitative condition and to promote research to accurately identify, diagnose, and treat RSD.
SEC. 3. Chapter 5.5 (commencing with Section 104307) is added toPart 1 of Division 103 of the Health and Safety Code , to read:CHAPTER 5.5. REFLEX SYMPATHETIC DYSTROPHY EDUCATION AND RESEARCH
104307.
(a) The department shall establish a Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Education and Research Program.
(b) For purposes of this chapter, "RSD" means reflex sympathetic dystrophy. Reflex sympathetic dystrophy is a debilitating and progressively chronic condition characterized by severe burning pain, pathological changes in bone and skin, excessive sweating, tissue sweating, tissue swelling, and extreme sensitivity to touch.
(c) The purpose of the program established under this chapter shall be to promote public awareness of the causes of RSD, the value of early detection and diagnosis and possible treatments, and to promote research, through public and private resources, to accurately identify, diagnose, and treat reflex sympathetic dystrophy.
104308.
In implementing the program established under this chapter, the department shall do all of the following:
(a) Establish a public education and outreach campaign, through written materials, brochures, and the department's Web site, to promote RSD education, that will enable individuals to make informed decisions about their health, including, but not limited to, the following elements:
(1) The cause and nature of RSD.
(2) The risk factors that contribute to the manifestation of RSD.
(3) Available treatment options, including risks and benefits of those options.
(4) Environmental safety and injury prevention.
(5) Rest and use of appropriate body mechanics.
(6) The availability of RSD diagnostic, treatment, and outreach services in the community.
(7) Any other factors or elements that might mitigate the effects of RSD.
(b) Develop educational materials and brochures and make them available to consumers.
(c) Coordinate, promote, and offer professional education programs, through institutions of higher education, for health care providers and health-related community-based organizations, including, but not limited to, the following:
(1) Research findings.
(2) The cause and nature of RSD.
(3) RSD risk factors, including, but not limited to, lifestyle, heredity, and drug interactions.
(4) The diagnostic procedures and appropriate indications for their use.
(5) Medical and surgical treatment options, including experimental and established drug therapies, and the risks and benefits of each option.
(6) Environmental safety and injury prevention.
(7) The availability of RSD diagnosis and treatment and support services in the community.
(d) Promote research, through both private and public funding sources, to accurately identify, diagnose, and treat RSD.
104309.
(a) The Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Fund is hereby established in the State Treasury. Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, all moneys in the fund are hereby continuously appropriated to the department, without regard to fiscal years, for the purpose of funding this chapter.
(b) The department may seek and accept grants, awards, and other funds not derived from the General Fund for the implementation of this chapter, and shall deposit any moneys received pursuant to this section into the fund for expenditure for the purposes of this chapter.

104309.5. This chapter shall be implemented only to the extent funds from federal or private sources are made available for this purpose.

Trailblazing A New RSD World
For more information, please visit http://www.forgrace.org