I cannot find a drug rehabilitation place for my 17 year old. I have to wait until he is 18 and then he can make his own decision if he wants to go or leave the facility. One of three outcomes will happen: my son will either end up in jail and use taxpayers money or take more money from us by being on welfare, die where it will be the govt or states fault (big lawsuit) or grow out of it and be successful. One out of three chance. All of Long Island is affected by Xanax, marijuana, heroin, pills, etc. A psychiatrist told me to move off of Long Island. That is how bad the drugs are. We need to help our children before they can make their own decisions. We need help and soon.

Anorexia is a life threatening eating disorder caused by self starvation and excessive weight loss. In no way is it a lifestyle. Bring awareness to help stop promoting an unhealthy body Image, and find a cure.

This petition is personal; our son Christopher was diagnosed with Gliomatosis cerebri. Finding a cure is crucial for this deadly cancer. Our "new normal" life has taught us very disturbing facts about government funding for our children. Did you know only 4% of the government's budget is allotted to pediatric cancer? Funding for rare Gliomatosis cerebri is crucial. This is NOT OKAY! We will not sit back and wait and watch our son become another statistic. We have lost too many children to this horrific disease. Please help us spread awareness and ask our public officials to help give our children a fighting chance. We need research money. The petition will take 2 minutes of your time. We thank you for all your love and support I this extremely important matter. Thank you!

It is firmly recognized that Anti-Psychotic medications sedate and may cause seizures, falls and even death in the elderly. Billions in fines have been paid by pharmaceutical companies to the federal government for illegal promotion targeting dementia patients, with untold waste of healthcare dollars and damage to elders' lives. Even with successful efforts at reduction, the use of anti-psychotics is frighteningly high. By Medicare data released last year, Connecticut still ranks last in New England and 34th in the nation for the usage of these meds. (Center for Medicare: see: http://www.cms.gov/Newsroom/MediaReleaseDatabase/Fact-sheets/2014-Fact-sheets- items/2014-09-19.html ) This is particularly concerning to Connecticut residents. By such a rating it must also rank low in the proposed antidote: "Person Centered Care." As concerned family members, at a minimum we ask to be told of this treatment (since facilities are not sanctioned for it) and to exercise choice via Informed Consent so that the human rights of vulnerable elders are respected. (If you are a non- Connecticut resident perhaps you might indicate your experience with the issue or your connection to Connecticut in comments and Thank You!) Full name please....

Since Senator Rand Paul is also a doctor, he has a duty to be extra careful in his statements about medical matters such as vaccination against measles. He has been irresponsible in putting politics above sound medical practice, and talked out of both sides of his mouth about vaccination against measles, trying to appear to say the right thing, while at the same time making unscientific statements designed to appeal to his right-wing fringe supporters. While all of the harm his statements have done cannot be reversed, the damage can be reduced by his retracting his incorrect, unscientific statements.

Governor Kasich is proposing in his two year state budget to accept billing only from certified home health agencies and NOT Independent Health Aides, nurses or other certified independent providers. This cut will leave over 13,000 Independent Workers without income as well as leave over 16,000 individuals (mostly developmentally disabled individuals) without their day to day care.

We have family members who have benefited from the Affordable Care Act, and we know of others who would benefit from an expansion of Medicaid. The Kansas Hospital ASSN calls for the expansion. We cannot stand idly by and ignore the need for health care for our low income citizens.

I am a registered nurse and Montana resident. As a nurse, I care deeply for my profession and for my patients. I take pride in the care I give patients and am proud of the reputation Montana healthcare has because of the work I do as a nurse. On Friday, the MNA executive director and the MNA RN continuing education specialist delivered testimony on why H.B. 147 is not the right answer for Montana patients or Montana nurses. I wish I could have been there, but as RNs who work on the frontline—in Montana’s ERs, psych wards and critical care facilities, to name a few—we rely on our voice in MNA to speak for us when we are caring for Montana’s patients. That’s why I am speaking up through this petition to let you know that we fully stand behind MNA’s opposition to H.B. 147. I know there were points both in favor of and opposition to H.B. 147. I’d like to bring your attention to these points: 1. There is substantial disparity among the compact states in regard to continuing education and competence assessment, just as there is with the non-compact states. Without ensuring that all nurses practicing in Montana are held to the same high standards, we put patients at risk and undercut the hard work our nurses do to stay at the forefront of our field. 2. This nursing compact does not solve staffing issues around the state. If nurses can easily be transitioned into Montana, being in the compact, our Montana nurses can just as easily be transitioned out. In addition, many of the compact states—especially those bordering Montana—are facing similar nursing shortages, so the likelihood of a significant recruiting increase is low. I support and encourage the ongoing discussions with the National Council of State Boards of Nursing and Tri-Council for Nursing to address these issues with evidence and standardization that ensure public safety and safe patient care. Until these issues are ironed out, I urge you to stop H.B. 147. As a Montana RN, I work hard to improve my skills and provide high-quality care to Montana patients. There is substantial disparity among compact states in regard to competence assessment. I know that H.B. 147 raises more questions than it provides solutions. Reject H.B. 147, and let’s continue productive discussions that will benefit Montana patients.

The Association of American Indian Farmers (AAIF) strongly supports mandatory labeling of genetically engineered foods (commonly called “GMOs”). But in spite of its name, the “Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act” undermines labeling by: • Preempting state GMO labeling laws; • Codifying existing voluntary labeling systems; and • Restricting the Food and Drug Administration’s ability to require national mandatory labeling. As farmers, AAIF members and families know firsthand that consumers are demanding more information about the food they feed their families – not less. AAIF stands with the vast majority of Americans who are in favor of labeling GMOs. Because the “Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act” does not require GMO labels, we urge you to oppose the bill.

According to the CDC, more than 2 million Americans get sick from antibiotic-resistant infections each year, and 23,000 people die. Yet, more than 70 percent of all antibiotics sold in the United States are used in livestock and poultry operations, which routinely mix huge quantities of antibiotics into the feed for healthy animals. This practice increases the likelihood that all kinds of bacteria will develop resistance to antibiotics, meaning our life-saving medicines won't work. As one of the largest purchasers of meat in the world, McDonald’s has tremendous power to change the food market and put an end to this dangerous practice.

I pay for health insurance , as do most Americans . Congress get's FREE insurance (at my expense) yet want's to take insurance away from many who were previously unable to get insurance.

In every state except Mississippi and West Virginia, parents can legally choose to not vaccinate their children against common illnesses before enrolling them in school. The consequence of these vaccination loopholes has been the re-emergence of diseases like the measles—an illness that had all but been eliminated in the U.S. in 2000. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are over 100 reported cases in more than a dozen states, and the U.S. is "likely to see more cases." Mississippi hasn’t seen a measles outbreak since 1992 and West Virginia, not since 1994. That’s because neither state permits children to enroll in kindergarten without getting their full roster of vaccines—no matter their parents’ personal or spiritual beliefs. The anti-vaccine movement puts our most vulnerable populations at risk, including children under 12 months who simply cannot get vaccinated. Public health must trump parental choice. Tell your governor to introduce legislation to ban all belief-based vaccination exemptions.