Leaders
of Virginia's Organized Psychiatry,
This
year the Boards of the Psychiatric Society of Virginia
(PSV) and
the Northern Virginia Chapter of the Washington Psychiatric
Society
(NOVA WPS) authorized the formation of the first ever
Political Action
Committee (PAC) for your profession. PsychMD PAC.
PsychMD PAC will
raise money from Virginia psychiatrists to fund General
Assembly and
statewide candidates having positions that promote
better mental health
care delivery. The decision to form PsychMD PAC demonstrates
proactive
recognition that success in a crowded field of public
interests requires
increased access to the elected officials who make
decisions on health
care policies.
As
PSV President Greg Fisher said in a recent newsletter
article:
"[PsychMD PAC] will give psychiatrists a new
reason to get involved in
the political process. Our members will know these
contributions will
benefit our organizations by supporting friends in
the legislature,
advancing our profession, and improving psychiatric
care."
On
behalf of the PsychMD PAC Board of Directors, we are
asking you to
pledge a contribution. A contribution of $250 before
year end will make
you a "Founding Member" of PsychMD PAC.
You will be recognized in our
next newsletters and our websites. While we hope you
will become a
Founding Member, any amount will be helpful in reaching
our 2003-2004
fundraising goal of $7500.
Please
send your contributions to:
PsychMD
PAC
707 East Franklin Street, Suite C
Richmond, VA 23219
Also,
the PsychMD PAC Board will soon appoint the PsychMD
PAC Advisory
Committee. This group will be composed of politically
and
geographically diverse psychiatrists and will assist
with fundraising
and recommend candidate contributions. The Committee
will have 12
members or less, so if you would like to be considered,
please contact
us quickly with your contact information!
Thank
you for supporting psychiatry and your patients! Please
share
this exciting news and opportunity with colleagues
who want to impact
politics. If you have questions or recommendations,
please contact Cal
Whitehead, PsychMD PAC Secretary, using the information
below.
Click
here for the contribution form.
