ACA - Re: News & Reviews

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Re: News & Reviews

Paddy Rossbach, ACA President & CEO

We have been providing the support group leaders and regional representatives with regular ACA activity updates. Now, we are going to make similar reports available to everyone via the ACA Web site and inMotion magazine. This introductory report is a brief review of what the ACA is currently doing and how it accomplishes its goals.

Paddy Rossbach, RN
President & CEO
Amputee Coalition of America

» Read ACA: Then and Now 1986-2002 [PDF]

The ACA is a coalition, or alliance, of many groups, organizations, and individuals, and as such must consider and represent all views to effectively address amputee issues. Our revenue sources fall into two groups: restricted, which must be used on designated programs, and unrestricted, which can be used at the discretion of the organization. Currently, 62 percent is restricted revenue from grants, leaving 38 percent to cover all administrative and other programmatic activities.

Current Programs & Activities

National Limb Loss Information Center (NLLIC) – funded by CDC to:

Maintain virtual, limb loss and vertical file libraries – we are currently seeking funding to combine and expand our libraries to become the most comprehensive bibliographic database of limb loss publications – to be available on the ACA Web site.
Develop and execute Health Care Providers (HCP) program – a full-day seminar to update healthcare providers on new and accepted techniques and technology used in the care of amputees. The main purpose is to improve outcomes for consumers.
Develop and execute the Limb Loss Education & Awareness Program (LLEAP) – a program to educate schoolchildren about people with disabilities, amputees in particular, which is currently being field-tested.
Develop and execute the Youth Activities Program (YAP) – with increased funding from Ohio Willow Wood, this program will now include three regional fitness programs in addition to the annual ACA camp, list serve and youth inMotion.
Maintain National Peer Network (NPN) and conduct peer visitation training – with the newly revised training manual. Plans are currently underway to conduct a certified trainer workshop at the 2002 ACA Educational Conference in Anaheim, California. The NPN also maintains a database of trained peer visitors.
Maintain contact with and provide information for support group leaders and regional representatives. The Communicator is published bimonthly for regional representatives and support group leaders. Regional representatives visit the Knoxville office for an annual meeting. The ACA is linked to approximately 260 support groups across the country.
Maintain the toll-free hotline – manned by information specialists trained to answer questions for consumers, their families and healthcare providers.
Support outreach to national healthcare agencies to strengthen partnerships with ACA – in an ongoing effort to educate and partner with other allied nonprofit healthcare organizations serving the limb loss community, the ACA exhibits at more than 20 national healthcare conferences.
Provide services for persons with vision and hearing impairments and the Spanish-speaking community.
Develop and maintain a Web site.

Limb Loss Research & Statistics Program (LLR&SP) – funded by CDC and in partnership with Johns Hopkins Schools of Public Health and Medicine to:

Advance the understanding of the incidence, epidemiology and consequences of limb loss.
Design programs aimed at the prevention of secondary conditions.

Publications

inMotion – an award-winning bimonthly publication that contains regular features on health, fitness, and technology, as well as educational articles and uplifting stories. (Supported by advertising & unrestricted funds. Mailing funded by CDC)
First Step – A Guide for Adapting to Limb Loss – an award-winning biennial publication developed as a resource guide to help the new amputee adapt to limb loss. (Funded by CDC)
The Communicator – published bimonthly for support group leaders and regional representatives. (Supported with unrestricted funds)

Annual ACA Educational Conference & Exposition – supported by registration, exhibitors and sponsors. Tracks run concurrently, covering health, fitness, advances in technology, advocacy, etc. Workshops are held for individuals, support group leaders and regional representatives. The youth camp is now a regular feature. ACA's mission is "to reach out to people with limb loss and to empower them through education, support and advocacy."

Education: All of our programs have been developed to educate individuals with limb loss, their families and healthcare providers. Beginning in 2002, ACA will also partner with all branches of the armed forces to develop a full-day seminar for military healthcare providers so that our troops and their families can also have access to the most up-to-date care.Support: The revised peer training efforts will provide enhanced support at the local level and strengthen ties with support groups. At the national level, we have a new initiative to reach out to minorities, and several healthcare provider groups will be partnering with us in a membership drive.
Advocacy: Our attention is increasingly being directed towards advocacy. For this, we can only use part of our limited unrestricted funds. Plans include:
1. Continuing to identify the issues you think need addressing so that our newly formed Public Policy and Advocacy Committee can establish Policy Review Groups and Grassroots Committees to set policies, make position statements, and effect changes. Consumers will be asked to participate in these or other ACA- sanctioned advocacy activitiesSending member representatives to the American Diabetes Association's lobby day and advocacy training
2. Holding advocacy workshops, seminars, and discussions at the annual educational conference in Anaheim. Watch for scheduling in upcoming issues of inMotion.

In Washington, D.C., Doug McCormack and Katie Clarke work for ACA on several fronts. In 2001, they were instrumental in ACA forming partnerships with some of the top nonprofit organizations, e.g., American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association, American Heart Association, etc. This year McCormack and Clarke will help us continue to develop these partnerships and explore at least 10 new ones, including racial and ethnic minority groups, children's organizations, rehabilitation hospitals and other facilities serving people with disabilities, and select providers groups. In addition, using some of ACA's unrestricted funding, they have proposed an aggressive agenda for the 107th Congress Second Session, to include:

Developing a reimbursement strategy to be implemented in partnership with other healthcare groups
Maintaining funding for the NLLIC by expanding the focus to include Department of Defense needs and potential partnership
Expanding the reach of Department of Defense education to private sector audiences, and seeking related enhanced funding
Sponsoring/coordinating a congressional briefing focusing on military injuries resulting in limb loss and the efforts to provide improved treatment, care and support
Pursuing programmatic partnerships and support for skeletal malignancies
Developing and advancing an O&P research agenda
Supporting development of a new provider education program through the Health Resources Services Administration.

We continue to be grateful to our O&P sponsors for their funding, for the research they do to find better technology to replace the limbs we have lost, for their advertising dollars, which allow us to print inMotion magazine, and for exhibiting at our annual conference so that we can become educated consumers. Many of our programs would not be possible at this time without their support. We hope this gives you a better understanding of how the ACA and its excellent staff, contractors, and volunteers are working together to educate, support and advocate for all of us who live with limb loss. As we continue to reach out to more consumers, and to improve the programs and services we offer, we thank you for supporting our efforts, and hope to see you all in Anaheim!

Revenues

62% from CDC grants (restricted grant funds)
16% from advertising in publications
7% from membership dues
7% from sponsorships, mainly from O&P industry
3% from sales of educational materials, note cards, etc.
3% from annual conference registration
2% from contributions
0.02% from interest

Expenses

49.2% NLLIC programs & LLR&SP (restricted)
12% Publications – inMotion, First Step, and The Communicator
8% Annual Educational Conference & Exposition
1% Membership – reminder mailings, surveys, membership cards and pins, etc.
30% G&A (General and Administrative), wages and benefits to staff and contractors not supported by federal grants, e.g., auditor, accountant, bookkeeper, general counsel, maintenance of computers and services, development, UT for statistical work, janitorial, freelance writers, office rental, etc.

Total unrestricted funds in 2000 = 38%

Last updated: 07/18/2008

This Web site is partially supported by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors (association or center) and do not necessarily represent the official views of the CDC or the ACA.