The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Coalition, an ad hoc coalition of about 40 like-minded nonprofit organizations, has established is 2011-2012 legislative and regulatory goals. They are:
- Support FY 12 appropriations requests for Rural and Community Access to Emergency Devices (AED) program.
- Support Josh Miller Helping Everyone Access Responsible Treatment in Schools (HEARTS) Act with letters of support and by seeking co-sponsors.
- Support “Teaching Children to Save Lives Act,” as an amendment to the No Child Left Behind Act, legislation to be introduced by Rep. Lois Capps to provide grant opportunities for schools to train students in CPR and AED use.
- Pursue regulatory and, if necessary, legislative initiatives to remove or revise warning labels on all AEDs directing bystanders that the devices are meant for “Authorized Personnel Only.“
- Support appropriations requests for research on mild therapeutic hypothermia therapy.
- Support efforts to make out-of-hospital cardiac arrest a reportable condition.
- Support other appropriations requests related to sudden cardiac arrest, for example, from CDC/WiseWoman and NHLBI.
The SCA Coalition is co-chaired by Mary Newman, Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, and Lisa Levine, Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association.
For more information or to join the Coalition, visit www.stopcardiacarrest.org.