La Carta. Letter from the President

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1 La Carta I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E : Public 2 Policy Workshop RD Connect 5 Public Policy 6 Members Legislative 7 Day M A Y Letter from the President Greetings NM Academy members! It has been such an exciting year and I feel so honored to simply be a part of it! As you all may know NMAND has put Public Policy as a top priority for our members and our organization. NMAND has been successful at accomplishing a number of different goals. Legislative Day was one such success. And we hope to make it an even bigger success next year. On behalf of our dedicated Public Policy Committee Patty Keane, Kristin Crosby, Susie Resneck- Fisch, Gloria Garza, Mary Guillen and myself I would like to encourage ALL NMAND members to get involved at any level that you feel comfortable with in NMAND Public Policy activities whether that involves writing letters or simply attending Legislators Day (which we hope to schedule during the next legislative session early next year in 2013). Power in Numbers! In addition, the NMAND Public Policy committee recently attended a dinner reception honoring Representative Danice Picraux, who has served as State Representative since She is currently very active in health care legislation including health care reform. She has been active in the establishment of medical homes as a model for health care delivery and with efforts to increase the number of health care providers in NM. Representative Picraux is the co-chair of the Health and Human Service Committee. We were fortunate to be able to meet with and talk to Representative Picraux for quite a while after the reception. We are currently in the process of setting up a meeting with Representative Picraux and Senator Dede Feldman to help us set up a network of contacts that will help us as RDs in our march forward as nutrition advocates. Currently we are planning on making Public Policy the focus of the Fall event which will take place in October (again date TBA soon!). We hope to have speakers to present information on lobbying and current bills that impact nutrition and RD s. It is also anticipated that it will be a relatively interactive event. The goal is to get RD s more familiar with some of the resources that are important for us to become strong advocates. Look for information in upcoming issues of La Carta and on the Website. This issue of La Carta is dedicated to our involvement in the Public Policy Workshop in Washington, DC in April which was attended by our Public Policy Committee members Patty, Mary & Kristin. We need to work as a team to advocate for RD and health and nutrition related issues. I encourage all members to become involved at any level.power in Numbers! Debbie Cohen, DCN, RD NMAND President

2 P A G E 2 New bill would increase the scope of this section so that MNT may be provided by a dietitian... Mary Guillen, Patty Keane, & Kristin Crosby at the Capitol. PUBLIC POLICY WORKSHOP Members of the NMAND public policy panel attended the Academy s Public Policy Workshop in Washington, DC in April. Dietitians from all over the country met to receive training and guidance for current Academy priorities on the federal and state levels. Affiliate Public Policy Coordinators are required to attend, so together with State Policy Representative Kristin Crosby and State Regulatory Specialist Mary Guillen, we spent three whirlwind days training in DC, topped off with a day on the Hill, visiting with our federal legislators and getting to sit in on the action in both the Senate and House galleries Highlights from the workshop itself included addresses from Academy President Sylvia Escott- Stump, and a truly dynamic keynote from Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, recognizing the importance of the RD s role in the health and nutrition status of all Americans. Other sessions focused on the Farm Bill, Sustainability and Solutions for Childhood Obesity and Members of the Let s Move campaign. We visited with the staff in the offices of Congressmen Heinrich, Lujan and Pearce and Senators Udall and Bingaman. We were able to meet briefly with Rep. Steve Pearce, who was pleased to see us, and although none of us were his constituents from southern New Mexico, he was happy to know that we were representing his constituency as the state affiliate for the Academy. Having three RD s there who work in different ares of dietetics practice, was helpful to illustrate to staff the variety and diversity of what New Mexico RD s do. All of the staffers were pleased to know that the NMAND would be able to serve as a resource for any and all nutrition and dietetics-related issues that came across their desks. The current federal legislative priorities of the Academy we were tasked with bringing to our legislators were the following: 1. The Reauthorization of the Older Americans Act (OAA) The OAA program is administered through the Administration on Aging (AoA) which manages a comprehensive and coordinated cost-effective system of services that help older individuals maintain their health and independence in their homes and communities. The largest program in the OAA is the nutrition program, which recently celebrated its 40 th year anniversary, and which is administered in NM by the Aging and Long Term Services Department. In New Mexico, 18.3% of our population is over the age of 60 and almost 10,000 older adults receive home-delivered meals while over 31,000 receive meals at congregate feeding sites. The aims of the nutrition program are to: Reduce hunger and food insecurity Promote socialization of older adults Promote the health and well-being of older adults by giving them access to nutrition and other disease prevention Cont.. L A C A R T A

3 M A Y P A G E 3 PUBLIC POLICY WORKSHOP 2012 and health promotion services For the reauthorization of the OAA, we asked 1) to ensure that the language includes qualified nutrition staff, including registered dietitians in order to provide costeffective nutrition services and evidence based programs, and; 2) to include a strong evidence-based nutrition and health component through programs that include targeted nutrition screening, assessment, counseling and education. This bill is currently in the Senate and is awaiting a draft in the House. 2. The Farm Bill The Farm Bill is a critical piece of legislation that determines not only what farmers grow, but what is available in the US food supply. Key components of the Farm Bill include funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), SNAP-Ed, the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP), and nutrition research. We asked that the Farm Bill include maintenance of current funding levels for all of the above-listed programs and initiatives. Any increase in funding is unrealistic given the current political and economic climate. 3. MNT Coverage for Medicare and Prediabetes The Preventing Diabetes in Medicare Act of 2011 is an amendment of the Social Security Act that aims to prevent cases of diabetes in the Medicare population. Currently, the Social Security Act says that medical nutrition therapy may be provided by a dietitian or nutrition professional in the case of a beneficiary with diabetes or renal disease. The new bill would increase the scope of this section so that MNT may be provided by a dietitian or nutrition professional in the case of a beneficiary with diabetes, prediabetes), or renal disease, or an individual at risk for diabetes. We asked for support of this bill. 4. Resolving the Drug Shortage Issue The drug shortage issue has been a concern since 2000 and is much broader than just TPN solutions. Unfortunately the problem is increasing. Shortages are attributed to many complex factors. Congress has taken on this issue and has introduced three bills, two in the House and one in the Senate. The Academy supports all three bills and we asked our legislators to do the same. 1. U.S House - Preserving Access to Life-Saving Medications Act- H.R This legislation will amend the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act to require drug manufactures to notify FDA of a discontinuance, interruption, or other adjustment that would likely result in a shortage of a drug. Rep. Martin Heinrich is a cosponsor of this bill. 2. U.S. Senate Preserving Access to Life-Saving Medications Act-S.296 A companion bill was introduced by Senator Klobuchar (D-MN) on February 7, 2011 and was referred to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. Senators Bingaman and Udall are cosponsors of this legislation. 3. U.S House - The Drug Shortage Prevention Act-H.R Introduced by Congressmen John Carney (D-DE) and Larry Bucshon (R-IN) with 9 cosponsors, this bill complements the others by providing ways to address the drug shortage problem. Cont...

4 P A G E 4 PUBLIC POLICY WORKSHOP 2012 We anticipate swift movement on some of these issues and little to none on others. As the Public Policy Representative, I will provide updates related to Federal legislative issues periodically, so please pay attention to action alerts and notices that you may begin receiving in your inboxes. As was emphasized at PPW, legislators often say that they will only sign onto an issue if they hear from at least ONE constituent, so as we move forward in our advocacy efforts, we will be calling on all NMAND members to participate. Patty Keane, Kristin Crosby and Congressman Steve Pearce. Mary Guillen, Patty Keane, & Kristin Crosby at Senator Bingaman s Office. Senator Udall s Office. L A C A R T A

5 M A Y RD Connect: Danice Picraux P A G E 5 Honoring State Representative Danice Picraux Members of the NMAND Public Policy Panel, along with UNM undergraduate student Lauren Foley and Dietetic Intern Carey Jameson, attended a dinner to honor retiring State Representative Danice Picraux. Organized by Health Action New Mexico and the New Mexico Public Health Association, this was an inspiring evening to recognize the outstanding legislative record for Rep. Picraux, who has been a champion for the health of all New Mexicans, and particularly those of women and children in her 20+ years in the House. The speakers for the evening included legislators, government officials and health advocates who presented one example after the next demonstrating the leadership, dedication, passion and tenacity that Rep. Picraux has brought to the Roundhouse. We had a chance to speak with Rep. Picraux after the event and she was thrilled to see that we were there to represent the importance of nutrition in New Mexico, and she was particularly excited to see that the students were there. She has also agreed to work with us as we formulate our state legislative goals and advocacy efforts for the coming years. You can learn more about Rep. Picraux on the NM State Legislature site: and can also see a recent article in the Alibi: Leader.html

6 P A G E 6 MAY 2012 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat May Day Cinco de Mayo Mother s Day Memorial Day Who are the current members of the NMAND Public Policy Panel? Public Policy Coordinator (Federal issues): Patty Keane State Policy Representative (State Issues): Kristin Crosby State Regulatory Specialist: Mary Guillen Delegate: Susie Resneck-Fisch Public Policy Others who serve on the panel include the Past-President (Gloria Garza), President (Debbie Cohen), and President-Elect (Ann Bock). We look forward to working with incoming President-Elect Kathleen Hoss and Delegate Beth Yakes. Workshop has something for everyone! L A C A R T A

7 10 Minutes Can Make a Difference As a Registered Dietitian, every moment is preciously scheduled between family, friends, personal health commitments, volunteer/philanthropic/religious service, staying on the cutting edge of research, and the occasional moments to indulge in personal time. If Dietetics is your profession, Politics is your Business. So much of our profession depends on the political decisions that are made at both the federal and state levels, and it is imperative that we schedule in some time to be an advocate for ourselves and our profession. As little as 10 minutes of your time will make a difference to ensure that RD s are included in current legislative guidelines or an important nutrition bill will be supported by the elected officials we have in office. One simple message I want to share from my time at PPW this year, is that often times our elected officials can be influenced when they hear from just ONE of their constituents. So when you see an action alert from The Academy or an from one of your public policy panel members, please dedicate a small chunk of your busy schedule to take action and be an advocate for yourself and our profession. If you can give more time, please contact any of your public policy panel members to see how you can become more involved. First Annual NMAND Legislative Day Legislative Day is an annual event where we as the state affiliate of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics come together during the NM Legislative Session to meet our local elected officials and make our profession visible at the local level. This past February 13 RD s, 7 dietetic interns, and 11 nutrition students met in Santa Fe to meet with our state legislators and make an influence on local policy initiatives. With over 300 RD s in NM and 115 legislators I hope to tip the numbers in our favor in the years to come. This year we focused on educating our legislators about what it means to be a Registered Dietitian, why we are a necessary part of health legislation and how we save health care dollars. Each legislator was given a folder with 2 handouts detailing this information to help illustrate this message and provide them with the resources to contact us in the future. This will lay the groundwork for the local policy challenge ahead. The current state policy focus is health care reform and specifically that RD s and MNT is included in the essential health benefits package of the Health Insurance Exchange. These decisions are happening now and they will impact how we are reimbursed for medical nutrition therapy services in the years to come. Another clear focus is on our state licensure, which sunsets in We need to be proactive now and work on support for future legislation that will ensure that our licensure is continued after this sunset date. If you have any information on these topics, or you are interested to be involved (no matter how little time you have to offer), please contact me at krose_27@yahoo.com. We appreciate any feedback that you have to offer and welcome your involvement. Kristin Crosby MS RD LD NMAND State Policy Representative Note from the editor: I would like to thank all of the wonderful members who submitted fantastic articles. This is such a great way to get to know one another and interact outside our normally routine. I am always open to feedback and or suggestions sent to: kfulmer@salud.unm.edu regarding La Carta. Kara Fulmer, RD, LD Publications Coordinator for NMAND