The recent elections caused many political shifts, including the loss of nearly 40 cosponsors of provider status legislation—the Pharmacy and Medically Underserved Areas Enhancement Act (H.R. 592/S. 314).

Now is the time to tap into the power that constituents have with their elected leaders.

The legislators, representing 17 states, will not be returning when the new Congress convenes in 2017, which presents an even more pressing need to make your voice heard in Washington D.C. by attending the ninth annual NACDS RxIMPACT Day on Capitol Hill, March 14-15, 2017. The political landscape has changed, and with change comes the opportunity to tell pharmacy’s story to new legislators and make the case for federal recognition of pharmacists, among other legislative priorities.

The good news? Advocates representing 45 states—a record for the event—have already registered. Be sure and add your strength to the numbers. Now is the time to tap into the power that constituents have with their elected leaders. NACDS RxIMPACT Day on Capitol Hill brings together more than 350 pharmacy executives, pharmacists, students and other pharmacy leaders to meet the new Congress, highlight the value of pharmacy and make a mark on history.

Register today to join advocates who have already registered from 45 states!

The 2016 campaign season is coming down to the wire and it will soon be time to exhale and prepare for what comes next: a new Congress and a new administration.

NACDS RxIMPACT has been working overtime to educate the pharmacy community about the significance of election engagement.

During this pivotal lead-up to the election, NACDS RxIMPACT has been working overtime to educate the pharmacy community about the significance of election engagement. Just this week, NACDS RxIMPACT hosted three grassroots training programs at Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Washington State University College of Pharmacy and Nova Southeastern University College of Pharmacy. The trainings aimed to get pharmacy students updated and excited about getting to the polls to vote, and to keep the momentum going with post-election grassroots advocacy.

Be sure to check out NACDS RxIMPACT Votes Election Day resources on registering to vote, learning about candidates, reviewing important election dates and identify polling locations. These resources will equip you with the information you need to identify your candidate of choice and vote on Election Day. An informed voter is an effective voter, so take this opportunity to use all the resources NACDS RxIMPACT has to offer.

If there was a way to hone your advocacy skills so you could maximize your success during congressional meetings before coming to Washington, D.C. for NACDS RxIMPACT Day on Capitol Hill next year on March 14-15, 2017, would you do it?

The NACDS RxIMPACT Key Contact PLUS program will give you the skills and confidence you need to get the most out of your meetings on Capitol Hill…

Here’s your chance. NACDS has a program to help you deliver NACDS policy messages effectively. The NACDS RxIMPACT Key Contact PLUS program will give you the skills and confidence you need to get the most out of your meetings on Capitol Hill and will also get you special recognition at future NACDS RxIMPACT Day On Capitol Hill events once you’ve completed the NACDS RxIMPACT Key Contact PLUS Program.

Once you join the NACDS RxIMPACT Key Contact PLUS program, you will be able to immediately access short advocacy how-to videos, four recorded webinars (accessible anytime your schedule permits once they are recorded live) with experts on how to make the most of your upcoming Capitol Hill meetings.

In the program, pharmacy advocates elect to “adopt” a member of Congress they would like to establish and build a relationship with. (If you are not sure who to “adopt,” NACDS RxIMPACT will follow up with you personally and help you identify a member of Congress). For more information on the 2017 webinar schedule and to register, visit the NACDS RxIMPACT website.

The American Psychological Association last week released a finding from its annual “Stress in America” survey that more than half of adults in the United States feel very or somewhat stressed by the election. Republicans and Democrats are feeling this stress at similar rates. There is even talk of what is formally called Election Stress Disorder.

The only certainty is the vital importance of engagement.

I’m not half kidding when I say that there is a remedy for election-induced stress, and this remedy is to engage in the NACDS RxIMPACT grassroots advocacy program. There are plenty of articles online that offer advice for reducing stress, such as “anxiety will grow if it’s not directed into some positive action” and “courage is not the absence of fear, but taking action in spite of fear.” NACDS RxIMPACT is all about action – specifically, positioning pharmacy for success whatever the outcome of the elections.

For starters, we have 19 days left to continue to demonstrate the political activism of pharmacy through the NACDS RxIMPACT Votes program. Visit PharmacyVoter.org to learn how to make an impact; use #PharmacyVoter in social media posts urging to people to vote for the candidates of their choice; and share NACDS’ get-out-the-vote YouTube videos that encourage engagement in the elections even while telling the story of pharmacies as the face of neighborhood healthcare.

Also, make plans now to participate in the 2017 NACDS RxIMPACT Day on Capitol Hill, which will be held March 14-15 in Washington, D.C. Last year, advocates met with 90 percent of Congressional offices during this event. There will be a new Administration and some measure of Congressional turnover, so it will be essential to visit the newly elected Senators and Representatives and to maintain visibility of those who are returning to Congress amid ever-changing political dynamics.

There are many other steps that you can take as well through NACDS RxIMPACT, such as engaging as a key contact with a specific member of Congress, hosting a grassroots training session at your company, inviting a member of Congress to tour a pharmacy, and much more.

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Is it Election Day yet? No. But the deadline to register to vote—October 11—is fast approaching for the District of Columbia and the following states: Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Montana, N.M., Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas. NACDS RxIMPACT is calling on you to register to vote on Election Day, November 8.

It is a pivotal time and NACDS RxIMPACT Votes is ready to get you up-to-speed with the #PharmacyVoter get-out-the-vote campaign.

Time is of the essence as 41 states have voter registration deadlines between October 8–24.

It is a pivotal time and NACDS RxIMPACT Votes is ready to get you up-to-speed with the #PharmacyVoter get-out-the-vote campaign. It’s important that you not only register to vote, but also ensure your registration card information matches what is on your personal identification card (driver’s license, passport, etc.). Visit the NACDS RxIMPACT voter registration resource guide to ensure you follow your state’s voter registration requirements.

Also access NACDS RxIMPACT Votes Election Day resources at PharmacyVoter.org to register to vote, learn about candidates, review important election dates and identify polling locations. These resources will equip you with the information you need to identify your candidate of choice and vote on Election Day. An informed voter is an effective voter, so take this opportunity to use all the resources NACDS RxIMPACT has to offer and be sure to encourage others to join you as a #PharmacyVoter by using the #PharmacyVoter Social Media Guide!

The controversial presidential election has garnered lots of attention and Google searches, revealing an engaged electorate that is still actively seeking information leading up to Election Day on November 8. During the presidential debate on Monday alone, Google reported that there was a surge of 100,000 searches for the phrase “register to vote” in Spanish.

NACDS is urging the pharmacy community to get involved by learning more about the candidates at all levels of government, browse races and find out how to register to vote and volunteer for the candidates of their choice.

This is where NACDS RxIMPACT Votes comes in. Through the #PharmacyVoter get-out-the-vote campaign, NACDS is urging the pharmacy community to get involved by learning more about the candidates at all levels of government, browse races and find out how to register to vote and volunteer for the candidates of their choice. An informed voter is an effective voter, so take this opportunity to use all the resources NACDS RxIMPACT has to offer and be an engaged #PharmacyVoter.

The next three remaining debates will be broadcast live on C-SPAN, ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC, as well as all cable news channels including CNN, Fox News and MSNBC, among others. The debates will air from 9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. ET (8 p.m.–9:30 p.m. CT, 7 p.m.–8:30 p.m. MT, 6 p.m.–7:30 p.m. PT).

Vice presidential debate: Tuesday, Longwood University in Farmville, Va.
Moderator: Elaine Quijano, anchor, CBSN, and CBS News correspondent

Second presidential debate: Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016, at Washington University in St. Louis, Ill.
Moderator: Martha Raddatz, chief global affairs correspondent and co-anchor of “This Week,” ABC
Moderator: Anderson Cooper, Anchor, CNN

Third presidential debate: Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016, at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Nev.
Moderator: Chris Wallace, anchor, Fox News Sunday

NACDS also continues to educate advocates through the NACDS RxIMPACT Grassroots Training Program, which hosted two trainings for students at Lipscomb University College of Pharmacy in Tennessee and Duquesne University School of Pharmacy in Pennsylvania about the power of pharmacy voters in the 2016 elections. This brings the 2016 trainings total to 21.