Prevent Blindness (PB) has launched a new website and legislation action center as a resource for advocacy in support of eye and vision health policies across the United States.
Refresh me on this organization.
Founded in 1908, PB is a public health advocacy organization focusing on preventing blindness and preserving sight via services such as public and professional education, advocacy, certified vision screening training, community and patient engagement programs, and public health research.
So why this new resource?
The latest advocacy tool is an extension of the nonprofit organization’s annual “Eyes on Capitol Hill” legislative day, which was launched in 2006 to provide U.S. citizens with the opportunity to meet with legislative representatives to educate them on vision issue policies, including access to quality eye care, health disparities among vision disorders, and sight-saving research.
What does it offer?
Resource included on the website include:
- Up-to-date policy info and action alerts, including PB’s stance on vision and eye health issues.
- Comprehensive skill-building resources for encouraging vision and eye health policy advocacy.
- Space for advocates to share their vision stories.
- Accessibility features for users to modify at will.
Is there anything for connecting with legislators?
Yes! A new Legislative Action Center is designed to give advocates direct access to their respective representatives.
The resource offers recent issues at stake, a directory of representatives, and the chance to invite Congress members to the Congressional Vision Caucus (CVC), which PB helped to form (more below).
What’s the CVC?
The Congressional Vision Caucus is a bipartisan, bicameral coalition of U.S. congressional members who are dedicated to promoting policies relating to vision loss, blindness, and visual impairments or disabilities.
Chaired by Florida Rep. Gus Bilirakis, the coalition is focused on three areas:
- Research
- Prevention/public health
- Access to treatment and rehabilitation
See the complete list of members here.
What about for patients?
The website also offers info on the PB Advocacy, Support, Perspective, Empowerment, Communication, and Training (ASPECT) Patient Engagement Program, which is designed to provide a select number of participants with the tools needed to become vision and eye health advocates.
Learn more here.
So where can I find this new website?
Click here.
Any words from PB?
According to PB President and CEO Jeff Todd, this new advocacy resource, along with the ASPECT program, “allows us to engage those patients and care partners in our efforts and continue to provide those affected by vision and eye health issues with the tools needed to educate others, including lawmakers, on the importance of adequately addressing the needs of those with significant vision impairments.”