AMA Supports Community Choice Act

Thanks to an alert from NCIL's newsletter, FRIDA has learned that the American Medical Association on November 13 voted to support the Community Choice Act as official AMA policy. This is in line with the campaign demands of ADAPT in Chicago in September 2007 and with FRIDA's activity with the AMA. For the press release, see: http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/18143.html.

A goal has been met! VICTORY!

FREE OUR PEOPLE!

I don't know if you all remember, but back in January, FRIDA decided it wanted three things from the AMA: to oppose the "Ashley Treatment," to have disability representation within the AMA, and to support the Community Choice Act. We have the third now! We're working on the second.

How did the support of the CCA happen? It appears that a policy to support the CCA was proposed and then voted on. What is outlined in the press release is what we know.

It can't have hurt that 500 people with disabilities surrounded the AMA building in September demanding support for the Community Choice Act, and that our direct action activities were covered not only in the mainstream press but by the AMA in-house newsletter. Getting people to talk about the issue of community choice is often the main way to get folks to take action.

So the momentum continues...a great two year anniversary present!