CST Legislative Day

CranioSacral Therapy Awareness Month Recognized by the Resolution Passed in Florida Senate

How to Organize a CST Legislative Day in Your State

Planning a CranioSacral Therapy Legislative Day in your state is easy. We've put together support materials along with universal guidelines for navigating the government system that can make the process of holding a CST Legislative Day at your state capitol a simple one. Just follow these steps. Diane Simpson, LMT, CST, did and here's what she had to say about the experience:

"I thought it was going to be complicated, but it wasn't. I think people would be shocked if they knew how smoothly it went. It was fun, too! We had so many people stopping and talking with us. Not everyone had time for a session, but we spoke with a lot of people who took our information and business cards. It's such an impressive way to get the word out about CranioSacral Therapy to people in a position to make a dramatic difference in our lives."

Diane Simpson, of Averill Park, N.Y., coordinated the first New York CranioSacral Therapy Legislative Day at the capitol in Albany, April 29, 2003.

We have found that legislators and their staff enjoy our legislative visits and are receptive to CST. They tell us that they appreciate being introduced to new things.

There are three Legislative Day options:

1. You can go to the capitol and provide CST mini-sessions to legislators and their staff in their offices.
2. You can set up a CST site in a public area of the capitol and offer 15-minute mini-sessions to all who walk by.
3. You can do both: go to legislative offices and have a site for walk-by traffic.

Whichever option you choose, you'll need the following:

· CST volunteers
· Massage tables
· Water
· Breath mints
· Healthy snacks
· Baby wipes (for your hands and table)
· Paper towels
· Hand sanitizer
· Sign-in sheets/ink pens
· CST information (supplied by The UI Institute)
· CST giveaway item (supplied by The UI Institute)
· UI/CST name tags (supplied by The UI Institute)

Optional items
· Red, white and blue decorations (Don't forget the tape and scissors)
· CST signage

How to Plan
· Gather your volunteers

. UI recommends enlisting therapists with at least CranioSacral Therapy II training.

· Set a date to visit your capitol when legislators are in session and not in committee meetings.

· You must call the office of the Sergeant at Arms to reserve your date and learn the protocol for getting your massage tables into the capitol (tables have to be scanned). If you are providing mini-sessions in a public area, they will designate the site and set-up time. We recommend a 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. day. Also be sure to find out where to park and what the cost is.

· If a hotel room is needed by any of your volunteers, make these arrangements well in advance. Hotel rooms may be scarce while legislators are in session.

· Prior to the legislative day, volunteers should call their legislators' local offices to introduce themselves and give the date and time of the legislative day. Offer to stop by and provide free mini-sessions.

· The morning of the event, arrange to meet all your volunteers at a specified location to make sure that everyone has all the items needed. Try to coordinate your attire (white golf shirts with khaki pants) and be sure to wear a UI/CST nametag.

· If providing in-office sessions, go by each office to offer sessions. Give out CST information and giveaway items to everyone. Don't forget to include your governor and his/her staff.

· If providing 15-minute mini-sessions in a public area, you will need a table for sign-ins and for displaying CST material. One of the volunteers needs to be at this table all day (rotate volunteers). Consider purchasing some low-cost red, white and blue decorations. They add a note of festivity to your area.

Many legislators' spouses are in and out of the capitol on a regular basis. There may be separate lounges or one shared lounge for Senate and House spouses. This is a great place to set up tables and offer sessions. Spouses are very supportive and love to be included. You can contact your capitol for the spouses' lounge coordinator.

· Take pictures and document the legislators who try CST.

· Send a write-up of your event to UI.

Getting a CST Resolution and Proclamation Passed

For a resolution: Contact a state senator's office to request a CST resolution (see example here http:/.com/images/resolution.jpg)

For a proclamation: Contact the governor's proclamations office for information on obtaining a proclamation (see example here http:/.com/news/proclam.htm). In each case, try to arrange a photo of your group with the sponsoring senator and/or the governor. And be sure to send us a copy of any photos along with your resolution and/or proclamation.

How to Get Started

Fill out a CST Legislative Day Scheduling Form and send to the Community Relations Dept. for processing. We'll mail you the CST information and giveaway items you need.

CST Legislative Day Scheduling Form

Click here to send email
Please include the following information with the email:

State and capitol city where Legislative Day will take place:

Event date:

Contact person:

Address and phone number:

E-mail address:

Shipping address for CST Legislative Day supplies (no post office boxes please)

The UI Institute
Community Relations Dept.
11211 Prosperity Farms Rd., D325
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410
Fax 561-622-4771
cr@UI.com