Doctors for Drug Policy Reform Presents:
Speaking Up: How to Deliver Effective Legislative Testimony
In this webinar, Dr. Jeff Singer and Dr. Bryon Adinoff shared practical guidance for health professionals who want to engage in the legislative process by providing informed, evidence-based testimony. Dr. Adinoff discussed the committee public testimony process and offers strategies for preparing and delivering effective written and oral testimony, while avoiding common pitfalls. Dr. Singer described how he approaches testimony, including presenting a bill’s likely benefits and drawbacks without crossing the line into lobbying. He discusses how to present evidence and analysis in a way that informs policymakers, while leaving the ultimate decision-making to legislators. Both presenters shared insights gained through personal experience providing testimony and strategies to lessen the stress of testifying. The webinar concluded with a Q&A session.
This webinar was supported by grant funding from the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA). Support does not influence D4DPR’s policy positions or educational content.
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About our Speakers:
Jeffrey A. Singer, MD, is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and works in the Department of Health Policy Studies. He is President Emeritus and founder of Valley Surgical Clinics Ltd., the largest and oldest group private surgical practice in Arizona, and has been in private practice as a general surgeon for more than 35 years. He is also a visiting fellow at the Goldwater Institute in Phoenix. Singer is a member of the Board of Scientific Advisors of the American Council on Science and Health. From 1994 to 2016, he was a regular contributor to Arizona Medicine, the journal of the Arizona Medical Association. He served on the Advisory Board Council of the Center for Political Thought and Leadership at Arizona State University from 2014 to 2018. He writes and speaks extensively on regional and national public policy, with a specific focus on the areas of health care policy and the harmful effects of drug prohibition. Dr. Singer received his BA from Brooklyn College (City University of New York) and his MD from New York Medical College. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
Bryon Adinoff, MD, President of D4DPR, is an addiction psychiatrist, neuroscientist, academician, and advocate. He was appointed Clinical Professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine following his retirement as Distinguished Professor of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Research in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and as a psychiatrist for 30 years with the Department of Veterans Affairs. He has published over 200 papers and book chapters on the neurobiology and treatment of addiction and is Editor-in-Chief of The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse. In his semi-retired status, he has evolved from focusing on the consequences of substance use itself to the consequences of drug prohibition. His commitment to the goals of D4DPR arises from his desire to ensure that the devastating effects of the global drug war are replaced by a science-based, compassionate, and just system that protects both the individual and society.
This webinar was recorded and posted on the Health Advocacy Network and Physicians for Opioid Settlement Equity online portals (in development) for members of these initiatives. If you are not a member but would like to join, please contact us at info@d4dpr.org.
Please consider making a contribution to support our efforts at www.d4dpr.org/join.
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