In Spring of 2019 NYSAND leaders worked to with NYS legislators to have bills introduced in the NYS Assembly and the NYS Senate that would enable hospitals and long-term care facilities to privilege dietitians/nutritionists to write therapeutic diet orders, including po diets, tube feedings and TPN. 

To get these bills out of committee and passed by both the Assembly and Senate we need EVERY New York State RD to contact their NYS Assembly Member and Senator to explain these bills and request co-sponsorship.  
Everything you need to successfully do this is right here. 

This is the time to increase our credibility, expand our scope, improve our workflow/efficiency, improve our job satisfaction and ultimately increase our compensation.  No other individuals or groups can do this for us – WE NEED TO ACT NOW!


Tools for your information and review (please click title for link to materials)

• TDO presentation – This is a brief PowerPoint presentation that thoroughly explains the bills; literally everything you need to know about them so you can explain to colleagues and elected officials.
• FAQ TDO NSYAND – additional information in the format of “frequently asked questions” with responses
• Step by Step Directions – use this to help guide your meeting regarding the TDO
• TDO cheat sheet – use this to summarize TDO Privileges 

  
Tools for Visits with Elected Officials or Your Administrators (please click title for a link to the material)
(all of these tools can also be used to guide meetings with your administrators as getting them to contact elected officials would be very helpful)

• Sample script for visiting legislators – This is a detailed script to help you plan a visit with your elected officials
• TDO Summary for Legislators – a 2-page document summarizing the key points (which are also discussed in detail in the narrated Power Point); you can copy front-to-back and use along with the script to guide your visit by going point-by-point provided in the document
• 2019 NYSAND Overview with number of RDs by Assembly and Senate Districts – this document provides basic information regarding RDs and NYSAND, as well as the number of NYSAND members in each district.
• Template Letter of Support for TDO – RDs can use this template to craft letters or emails to their elected officials requesting support of the legislation; RDs can also share this template with their administrators, especially MDs, and request they send letters of support as well

Tools for calls and emails (Also try to schedule a visit!)

1. Script for a phone call – This is a script for your first phone call to one of your elected officials

“Hello, my name is [NAME]. I am a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist and a member of the New York State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. I am a constituent of [NAME OF LEGISLATOR]. I would like to share a piece of legislation allowing certified dietitian/nutritionists to order therapeutic diets to see if [NAME OF LEGISLATOR] would consider being a co/multi-sponsor? The bill number is (A.7660 for Assembly Members; S.5665 for Senators). Who can I send this information to in order for him/her to review?”
[Odds are they will provide you with an email address] “Thank you.”

2. Email to follow the first call

EMAIL: [email the linked information to the email address provided.]
A.7660
S.5665
TDO fed Register
BODY OF THE EMAIL:
Thank you for speaking with me regarding the attached legislation. Please share this information with [NAME OF LEGISLATOR]. I strongly support this legislation and would like [NAME OF LEGISLATOR] to consider being a co/multi-sponsor.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Thank you.
NAME
MAILING ADDRESS [TO SHOW THAT YOU ARE A CONSTITUENT]
PHONE [IF COMFORTABLE]

​3. FOLLOW UP CALL: 

Call your SENATOR and ASSEMBLY MEMBER back.

SCRIPT: 
Hello, my name is [NAME]. I called last week regarding legislation to allow certified dietitian/nutritionists to order therapeutic diets and sent an email to the legislator seeking his/her support. I am calling to see if he/she has signed on to become a co/multi-sponsor.
[Odds are they will need you to provide them with the bill number again. Odds are they will not know the answer. They may ask for you to email again – if so, do that. They may also take your information to have the Legislator call you back. Or, they may ask you to follow up in a week. Whatever the answer – agree to what they offer and say thank you.]