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Chairman's Message
The past year has been exciting
for the Amputee Coalition
of America.
Our new advocacy
program, the Action Plan
for People with Limb Loss (APPLL), helped
three states pass new legislation ensuring that
amputees will receive appropriate access to
prosthetic care. Nine other states are or will
be introducing similar legislation with the
ACA’s assistance in the coming year.
Our annual youth camp program expanded
significantly this year, with its largest enrollment
to date, giving children age 0 to 6 the
opportunity to share their experiences, to
participate in outdoor activities, and to receive
important02/15/20087 is expected to be even higher.
Our publications continued to receive
awards for excellence. inMotion magazine
(for the eighth year in a row) and Expectations:
Parenting Children and Teens With Limb
Differences claimed 2006 APEX awards for
Publication Excellence.
In 2006, the ACA also expanded its peer
visitation program, which matches individuals
who have recently undergone amputation
with certified peer visitors for support and
educational information. Specifically, the ACA
worked with the Department of Defense to
provide specialized peer visitation for members
of the U.S. rmed Services, a joint effort
that recognizes the differences in rehabilitation
between military and civilian populations.
The ACA continued to provide its members
with the high-quality publications and
programs that have always been a benefit of
ACA membership. First Step – the ACA ’s
award-winning guide for people coping with
limb loss – was made available in Spanish for
the first time this year and served as a model
for the 2006 creation of Military in-Step. The
ACA’s online magazine for kids – YAZ (Youth
Amputee e-Zine) – featured articles, a calendar
of events, and games for children living with
limb loss.
The PALS (Promoting Amputee Life
Skills) program – a CDC research project
in which the ACA participates with Johns
Hopkins University and the University of
Washington – continued to provide important
data showing that self-management
programs improve mood and heighten selfesteem
and the ability to cope with pain.
But the ACA does face challenges in the
coming year. The slowdown in the national
economy has led to a “money crunch” in
the nonprofit sector, forcing organizations
to compete for fewer dollars. To combat
this fiscal reality, the ACA is seeking to
diversify its sources of income through an
increased commitment to fundraising, a
more sophisticated and targeted approach
to grants, and the development of strategic
partnerships that permit both the possibility
of cost-saving and the creation of new
income.
Similarly, the ACA ’s efforts to advocate
on behalf of its members are hampered by
a historical lack of data about the amputee
population and the benefits of prosthetic
care. The ACA is engaged in forming partnerships
that will enable us to obtain this
type of information in 2007 so that we can
more effectively serve as an advocate for all
individuals living with limb loss.
Despite these challenges, the ACA’s
successes over the past year have demonstrated
our ability to meaningfully impact
the lives of individuals with limb loss.
Education, support, advocacy, empowerment– these are the core elements of the
ACA’s mission. We welcome the opportunity
to continue to fulfill this mission in the
coming year.
David McGill, Esq.
Chairman, Board of Directors
Amputee Coalition of America
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