CALIFORNIA COALITION ADVOCACY SAVES TREATMENT PROGRAM FOR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY

The California Legislature established the Only State Funded Prostate Cancer Treatment Program in the United States in 2000. The program was to be funded at Fifty Million Dollars over three years. This treatment program became know as the Impact Program, Improving Access, Counseling and Treatment for Californians with Prostate Cancer. To be eligible for the program these men had to be Diagnosed with Prostate Cancer, In-eligible for any State or Federal Program, Un-insured or Under- insured, and under the 200% of Poverty Federal Income Guideline.

The California Prostate Cancer Coalition (CPCC) had been supporting the Impact Program since inception. WE WERE NOTIFIED ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2003, THAT ENROLLMENTS IN THE IMPACT PROGRAM WERE ORDERED STOPPED by CALIFORNIA DEPARTEMNT OF HEATH SERVICES, CANCER DETECTION SECTION. On MONDAY, DECEMBER 29,2003, THE IMPACT COMMITTEE OF CPCC WAS FORMED, AND THE BATTLE BEGAN.

The year 2004 presented a real challenge to CPCC. We had no paid staff, and the Board were all volunteers, most of whom held down full time positions, which left the job to three retired members to answer the call. In addition, we had no direct contacts to any of the Legislature in Sacramento. How were we to get the job done?

We needed to accomplish the following ASAP:

1. Establish a Presence in the State Capital (Sacramento)
2. Establish a Support Base
3. Established Awareness of the Impact Program’s Service to the underserved through communication; and
4. Establish communication and enlist cooperation with other cancer and heath based organizations

First and foremost we found we had two key legislative advocates for Cancer, Senator Deborah Ortiz and Assemblyman Mervyn Dymally. They made there staff available to us . They gave us a quick education on protocol in the Capitol, and we gave them a quick education on the Impact Program.

Second and equally important we had our established PROSTATE CANCER SUPPORT GROUPS. We have over 100 support groups in California with an average membership in excess of 100, so we had over 10,000 advocates sitting in the wings, and with the wives, over 20,000.

Third, we had our web site <prostatecalif.org> and our CPCC Newsletter. We also made contact with the Major Newspapers, Sacramento Bee and LA Times. We were also able to send out mailings to our support groups.

And fourth, we worked with the American Cancer Society, California Medical Association and California Urology Association. and others.

With the help of all our supporters and calling on legislators, we were able to get $6.5 million in the 2004-05 Budget, but the Impact Program legislation was to expire on June 30, 2005. We were successful for fiscal 2004-05, but were still faced with 2005-06 and beyond.

In 2005, using the same resources, we had a bill in the Legislature making the Impact Program a permanent program, but the Governor blue penciled the $3.0 million is the budget passed by the legislature. However, the Governor agreed to take a second look at funding the program for 05-06, pending meetings with the Impact Administrators, Legislative Staff members and Department of Health Services to be resolved by the end of August 2005.

On September 8, 2005, in the early evening before the 12:00 AM close of the fall session, the legislature passed the bill at $2.4 million and on September 30, 2005 Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the bill into law.

We feel that with the Fiscal Problems the State has, we have been fortunate to maintain funding and establish a permanent program. With a committee of three, but the support of thousands, we were able to win the battle.

Thanks To All of You!!!

***********************************************************************

Early Detection Guidelines

The National Alliance of State Prostate Cancer Coalitions supports the early detection of prostate cancer by recommending that, beginning at age 40 (35 for high-risk males, including African-American men and those with a certain or an indeterminate family history of prostate cancer), all men obtain a baseline PSA and have a DRE; then have a PSA and DRE thereafter on an annual basis.

Men are responsible to know and keep track of their PSA levels. An increase in the PSA is more important than the number itself, and should be discussed with their physician.