Hill Day: Hill Day 2008
Fourth Annual Hill Day, June 17-18, 2008
REGISTER NOW
The National Council places top priority on helping you do your job as a leader in the field of community behavioral healthcare by supporting you with new communications tools, increased emphasis on involving you in ongoing liaison with national decision-makers, and policy and research support for your efforts.
The National Council's Fourth Annual Hill Day, scheduled for Wednesday, June 18, 2008, presents a wonderful opportunity to take the first step towards engaging your members of Congress and taking a lead role in shaping federal public policy in 2008.
Schedule
2008 Legislator of the Year awards
Registration
Appointments
Senator Lowell Weichert briefing on Congressional visits
Schedule
Join your fellow National Council members in Washington for two days of events, designed to provide in-depth information on key issues.
TUESDAY, JUNE 17
9:00 am – 4:00 pm
National Council Public Policy Committee meeting
Overview of providers' policy priorities; all are invited.
Featured Speaker
Eleanor Clift
Contributing Editor, Newsweek; Political Analyst, Fox News Channel;
Panelist, The McLaughlin Group
4:30 – 6:00 pm
One-on-one Hill visit coaching
6:00 – 7:00 pm
Welcome reception
Sponsored by Negley Associates and MHRRG
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18
8:00 – 10:00 am
Breakfast issue briefing for participants
Sponsored by Comprehensive Neuroscience, Inc.
Featured Speaker
Donald Riegle, Jr.
Former U.S. Senator (D-MI)
10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Capitol Hill Visits
5:30 - 7:00 pm
Capitol Hill reception honoring champions of mental health and addictions services
Location: Room 902, Hart Senate Office Building
Sponsored by AstraZeneca
Note: Times are subject to change.
2008 Legislator of the Year Awards
Every year, the National Council recognizes champions of mental health and addictions treatment services with Legislator of the Year Awards at our Capitol Hill reception. This year, we'll honor:
Lifetime Achievement: Legislative Action
- Senator Pete Domenici (R-NM)
Legislators of the Year
- Senator Susan Collins (R-ME)
- Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA)
- Senator Ken Salazar (D-CO)
- Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)
- Representative Gene Green (D-TX)
- Representative Timothy Murphy (R-PA)
On March 27, 2008, Representative Timothy Murphy (center) received the Legislator of the Year award from Barbara Coniff (right), CEO of Milestone's Enterprise Facility in Monroeville, PA and Charles Ingoglia (left), the National Council's Vice President, Public Policy.
Make Your Appointments
Once you have registered for Hill Day, it's time to make your appointments. The National Council hopes you will make at least three visits on Wednesday, June 18, 2008: one to each of your Senators and one to your district’s Representative in the House. In addition, you may be asked to participate in a targeted visit to a member of Congress who sits on a committee of strategic importance to the National Council.
Click here to make your appointments for Hill Day 2008.
Some offices may ask that you put your meeting request in writing. A sample meeting request letter is available online.
When you have scheduled your visits, please share them with the National Council. You may use this appointment reporting link to update your Hill Day appointment schedule each time you make a new appointment or once you have scheduled all of your visits.
Please contact Allison Fort at 301.984.6200 ext. 235 or AllisonF@thenationalcouncil.org if you have any questions about scheduling your appointments or wish to have National Council staff assist you with your appointments.
For information on what to expect from your hill visits, tips on how to prepare and make the most of your visits, please refer to pages 11-13 of the National Council’s Public Policy Guide.
Bring Your Team
Those you might want to consider for your delegation include board members, medical directors, local law enforcement allies, state legislators, county commissioners, and mental health consumers. You may also want to consider asking someone to attend if he or she is a constituent of an important member of Congress such as the Chairman or Ranking Member of a key health committee or subcommittee. For a list of key health committees and subcommittees in the 110th Congress, click here. This year, we'll be offering prizes to those who organize the largest delegations in three categories:
- The largest group at Hill Day
- The group with the most number of members from outside the mental health field (judges, law enforcement officials, etc.)
- The group with the most board members
Each delegation will also be recognized at our Capitol Hill reception.
Hotel Reservations
Make your reservations today—events will be held at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington DC.
Note: the National Council's room block rate of $279 has expired. Rooms are still available at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel at the rate of $329 and up. Hill Day participants who have not yet made a hotel reservation are encouraged to do so and ask to be placed on the waiting list for the National Council's group rate. To be placed on the waiting list, contact Laurie Velasco at 202-328-5695. Please also let Allison Fort know that you have been placed on the waiting list by e-mailing her at AllisonF@thenationalcouncil.org.
There are two ways to make a hotel reservation at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel:
Make your reservation at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel online, or
Call 1-800-228-9290 or 202-328-2000
For more information about Hill Day, please contact Allison Fort at 301-984-6200, ext. 235 or AllisonF@thenationalcouncil.org.
"The Promise Unkept"