ACEP works with its chapters to support local legislation favorable to emergency medicine. In this section of ACEP.org you’ll find a clearinghouse of information on legislative and regulatory issues and how-to tips for developing state advocacy programs.
ACEP and its chapters work together to pursue critical state legislative initiatives such as addressing the medical liability crisis, ensuring patient access to emergency medical care, and promoting public safety.
Featured State Advocacy Resources
Mini-Internship Resources: Hosting Policymakers in the ED 
One of the best ways to educate key policymakers and influential stakeholders about the realities and challenges facing emergency care is to have them participate in a mini-internship program. This program allows a policymaker to shadow emergency physicians during a shift to see the emergency care system at work. ACEP recently provided a public policy grant to the New Jersey chapter to host a series of mini-internships. The program proved very successful in helping the chapter educate numerous legislators and others about emergency medicine in a short period of time. To assist other chapters interested in organizing mini-internships, the NJ chapter provided these resources, which include recommended action steps in setting up a mini-internship, as well as sample letters, forms and talking points. More resources on mini-internship programs are also available in ACEP’s Physicians’ Guide to State Legislation.
Resources for Injury and Violence Prevention Legislation
The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) now has a web page devoted to injury and violence prevention, which includes state legislative tracking for key injury and violence prevention bills, links to injury prevention resources, and other reference materials to support efforts to advocate for improved state laws in this critical area. You can access this web page at: http://www.ncsl.org/default.aspx?tabid=13951
ACEP State Advocacy Reports
These periodic updates provide chapter leaders with a summary of recent major state developments related to emergency care issues, as well as information on ACEP resources available to help chapters address those issues and improve their advocacy capabilities.
Newest State Advocacy Report:
Listen to the December 2009 Chapter Leaders & Lobbyists Conference Call
Previous State Advocacy Reports:
State Advocacy HelpACEP offers its chapters resources for state advocacy, from online resources to personal assistance from ACEP staff. For more, send an e-mail message to Craig Price or call the ACEP State Legislative Office at
800-798-1822.
