It seems impossible we are heading into a new year. Last year was exciting with our Syracuse Membership increasing, especially the amount of new students. It is great to have new blood in the membership every month. We hope to continue to have our colleagues join and support The NPA. 

The NYS NPA Board of Directors agenda for 2013:

1. To continue to work with our legislators and other stakeholders to see the amended version of the Nurse Practitioner Modernization Act, eliminating the written collaborative agreement, become law.
    
2. Based on the responses and analysis of the recent 2012 Valid Signature Survey to The NPA membership, our goals will include targeting: End of Life issues such as Do Not Resuscitate & Medical Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment, Workers Compensation/Disability paperwork, Nurse Practitioners being able to sign off on NYS Barber & Prospective Adoptive Parent physicals, and clearing student athletes for resumption of activities following a concussion.
    
3. Mental Health. The BOD is acutely aware of the barriers nurse practitioners in psychiatry face by not being able to admit their patients on an involuntary or voluntary basis to an inpatient mental health unit. However, we are told by our lobbyists that the previous Mental Health Bill (A.1603 (Ortiz)/S.4525 (McDonald) had issues beyond a Department of Health legislative fix. Therefore, in the coming weeks, the Governmental Affairs Committee will dialogue with nurse practitioners in psychiatry around the State to revise the language of the bill to overcome this barrier. 

We will hold the Annual Meeting this coming January 8th 2013 meeting. Topic and Place TBA. Please refer to website for up dates. At this meeting we will hold our vote for the open positions since all at this time are running unopposed.

We will be voting to elect officers at the January 8th dinner meeting, as long as there 10% of non-student members. We will need approximately 18-20 active and retired members in attendance. The following have volunteered to run for office:

• Co-President-Elect - Geri Hall & Meryl Lefkowicz 
• Treasurer - Dorothy Champney
• Secretary - Megan Atkinson 

Thank you to all who volunteered to help keep our Syracuse NPA Chapter going! 

As a reminder for the January 8th 2013 meeting we will continue to collect donations for “Teal there’s a cure” in honor of Maureen O’Hara. 

Helen O’Neil will be going to El Salvador for her 5th missions trip  February 2013! She is presently looking for donations for her trip. She is requesting the following: Ben Gay, Flip Flops, Tylenol, Reading Glasses, and Sun Glasses. Please bring any donations to the January meeting. 

We are looking forward to our Annual Teaching Day June 7th 2013. Just a reminder we will be getting together after each general meeting for planning the event. Please stay and offer your support in the planning of this event. 

Please help Ann and I welcome Lisa Cico and Amy Scullion as our next Co-Presidents! We are looking forward to the New Year! 

Past Co-Presidents, Cheryl Luttinger and Ann Roman