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The New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services (NYAPRS) has many exciting roles for consumer advocates. As we look towards the 2005 NYAPRS Legislative Day, participation as a Field Organizer, a Team Leader, and/or a Bus Captain are integral ways to impact mental health policy.

The New York City Region of NYAPRS has developed a network of Field Organizers. Field Organizers educate and mobilize people at their agencies/programs around NYAPRS public policy issues. Field Organizers are generally identified based on their previous participation in NYAPRS-led activities and demonstrated track record as outstanding organizers. Once identified, Field Organizers serve as resources for their communities and coordinate the participation of their peers in advocacy events such as NYAPRS Legislative Day, consumer forums, workshops, and other community events. Contributing only a few hours a month per task, Field Organizers have the opportunity to gain important skills through a series of four trainings per year.

Field Organizers are often the best candidates to serve as Team Leaders and Bus Captains, roles held at the annual NYAPRS Legislative Day. It is the job of the Team Leader to prepare a group of five to seven individuals for Legislative Day by providing literature on the issues and leading meetings with legislators. Additionally, Team Leaders work with their teams to determine which issues people are familiar with and feel most compelled to bring up within legislative meetings as well as provide teammates with helpful lobbying tips. Becoming a Bus Captain is another way to impact the success of the NYAPRS Legislative Day. Bus Captains are responsible for accounting for each person traveling to Albany and ensuring people receive Legislative Briefing Books and are assigned a Team Leader.

Becoming a Field Organizer, a Team Leader, or a Bus Captain is especially important as we plan for a successful 2005 NYAPRS Legislative Day. Prior to Legislative Day, two pre-Legislative Day trainings are held to provide information on the various issues that are most central to NYAPRS' pubic policy agenda. To become either a Team Leader or a Bus Captain, individuals are required to attend one of the pre-Legislative Day trainings and a meeting following the training, which outlines the duties of both of these positions. Pre-Legislative Day trainings will be held in January and announced in the near future.

Please remember to save the date, as the 2005 NYAPRS Legislative Day is Tuesday, January 25th, 2005. To learn more about becoming a Field Organizer, Team Leader, or a Bus Captain, please call either Colleen Terapane at (212) 780-1400, ext.723 or Melissa Diffley at (646) 602-5686.