June 9, 2008

TO:       CRC Task Force Members

FR:       David Arons, Director of Government Relations, ACS

RE:       Public Policy Next Steps

Update on Status of Legislative Effort to Secure State Funding for Colorectal Cancer Screening Program

Legislation was reintroduced in the 2008 session to establish and provide funding for a CRC program akin to the Sage program.  Senator Kathy Sheran and Representative Maria Ruud served as chief authors of companion bills (SF 2698/HF 2890).  Educational information was provided to the respective health policy committees in the Senate and House via testimony in hearings in March and April.  Legislators were introduced to the topic and educated about the benefits of colorectal cancer screening during the joint ACS/Cancer Alliance/Colon Cancer Coalition day at the Capitol on March 6.  Additional meetings with legislators to educate them about the problem and proposed program were held throughout the rest of the session.

At the end of the 2008 legislative session support for the bill was growing based on discussions with legislators on key committees. 

Another important point of support for the proposed screening program is MDH.  ACS met with Commissioner Magnan during the legislative session and with MDH staff after the session to encourage support for the creation of a colorectal cancer screening program.  Commissioner Magnan indicated support for the idea but conveyed the constraints in the state budget. 

Next Steps

Going forward it will be important to build strategies in several areas that hopefully will align to generate support and ultimately the decision by policymakers to enact the bill and appropriate the money.  Those areas include:

1.       Power: Development of sufficient buy-in among the policymakers that decide

2.       Data: Build upon the work already done by the CRC task force, identify the next sets of questions and gather the information to answer them

3.       People: Gathering the stories of those potentially served by this legislation.  Free screening days are a key resource

4.       Organizing: Our effort will require a steering committee and possibly several subgroups once the full effort is underway

5.       Communication: developing and communicating the life-saving value of the legislation

A few of the ways Task Force Members can contribute right away:

1.       Discuss with ACS staff one-on-one your organization’s interest and potential resources to bring to bear on the legislation.  This will help us help identify matches between organizations and specific activities.

2.       Arrange a meeting between your organization’s chief public policy person and ACS staff

3.       Brief your organization’s media relations person on this effort and put them in touch with ACS staff who will organize the media component.

4.       Take stock of which policymakers you know and prepare a letter asking them if they would support this legislation.  ACS will help you if you would like.

5.       Help build the list of supporting organizations.

ACS staff contacts: David Arons, david.arons@cancer.org; Rebecca Thoman, M.D., Rebecca.thoman@cancer.org