We regret to inform you...

Dear RSD Supporters:
We regret to inform you that the RSD Awareness Bill will not advance anywhere in the Oregon Legislature this year.

The Legislators feel that it basically repeats the role of the Pain Management Commission (PMC) , which was created in 2001.Below are the important sections of SB 885, which describes the role of the PMC.

You can view the complete legislation at: http://www.leg.state.or.us/01reg/measures/sb0800.dir/sb0885.en.html

You can view the website for the PMC at: http://www.oregonpain.org/ Besides promoting education and awareness on pain conditions, the PMC works some with the BME (Board of Medical Examiners) (the licensing board for MDs & DOs) regarding physicians' efforts to give proper doses of pain medications for pain patients.

When I presented the RSD Awareness legislation to the PMC in March, the Commission members voiced support of RSD awareness. The PMC has just finished the task of creating a one-hour video that most all healthcare practitioners in Oregon must view, so they will now have more time to tend to other tasks of the Commission.

I and others will encourage the PMC to give more attention to individual pain diseases, beginning with RSD. We will suggest that the PMC to highlight one pain disease every 2 months, at their bi-monthly meetings.

They could invite representatives from the national and/or state organization/s to speak at the PMC meeting and educate the PMC members about the disease, difficulties, needs, etc. National reps could be brought in by speaker phone. The PMC could then create a page on their website to educate practitioners about that pain condition. I have been talking with one of the PMC members and she wants to actively work on this idea. Feel free to email me, however I will be gone from April 19 until mid-May. On my return I will keep you posted on the progress we make on RSD Awareness in Oregon, and how you could participate.

Sincerely,Natalie Arndt

Senate Bill 885
71st OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2001 Regular Session Sponsored by Senator DUKES; Senators BURDICK, CASTILLO
Summary: Relating to pain management; creating new provisions; amending ORS 675.110, 677.228, 677.510, 678.101, 684.092 and 685.102; and appropriating money.

Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1. { + (1) The Pain Management Commission is established within the Department of Human Services. The commission shall:
(a) Develop a pain management practice program for providers;
(b) Develop pain management recommendations;
(c) Develop ways to improve pain management services through research, policy analysis and model projects; and
(d) Represent the concerns of patients in Oregon on issues of pain management to the Governor and the Legislative Assembly.
(2) The pain management coordinator of the Department of Human Services shall serve as staff to the commission. + }
SECTION 2. { + (1) The Pain Management Commission shall consist of 19 members as follows.... SECTION 3. { + The Pain Management Commission shall:
(1) Develop a pain management education program curriculum and update it biennially;
(2) Provide health professional regulatory boards and other health boards, committees or task forces with the curriculum; and
(3) Work with health professional regulatory boards and other health boards, committees or task forces to develop approved pain management education programs as required. + }