Advocacy

People with epilepsy frequently encounter situations where they require moral support and help in representing their interests and legal rights. These situations can occur in school environments or on the job, involve public transportation, access to health insurance and even the criminal justice system. Discrimination, misunderstanding and social stigma that require personal and legal advocacy can present both immediate and long-range concerns to persons with epilepsy and their families. Often, providing all parties involved in the situation with a better understanding of epilepsy and seizure disorders is all it takes to resolve a problem that is or could cause discrimination.

The EFWCP provides assistance through joint information-gathering and problem-solving, education, self-advocacy training, public policy advocacy and other activities. If you or someone you know is experiencing discrimination due to a seizure disorder or would like information on legal issues contact the Epilepsy Foundation Western/Central Pennsylvania and check out some of the other areas of our website where advocacy issues are addressed.

Employment Discrimination

For information and assistance involving employment discrimination contact the EFWCP office closest to you. Click here for a list of our offices.

Education Issues and the School Age Child

For information about special education issues, your child?s rights to instructional supports and help resolving a problem with your local school, contact the EFWCP office closest to you. Click here for a list of our offices.

Public Policy Advocacy & Government Issues

The Epilepsy Foundation Western/Central Pennsylvania encourages persons who are affected by epilepsy or seizure disorders to express their concerns regarding public policy issues to their local, state and federal level officials. Our elected representatives need to know how epilepsy has affected your life in order to make informed decisions about legislative matters related to disability issues and making funding available for local services.

To learn more about how you can become a part of the EFWCP’s Epilepsy Ambassadors grassroots advocacy work, click here.

Don’t Know Who Your Elected Representatives Are?

Check out these sites to easily identify the state and federal officials who represent you.

Who are my elected officials in Harrisburg, PA?
Find out who represents you in Harrisburg (our state capitol) by visiting http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/find.cfm. This site will quickly direct you to your local legislators, their telephone numbers, addresses and contact information. You can also link directly to the PA House of Representatives or PA Senate from this link.

Who are my elected officials in Washington, D.C.?
To find out which member of the U.S. House of Representatives represents your neighborhood visit http://www.house.gov/

Visit U.S. Senator Bob Casey at http://casey.senate.gov/ and U.S. Senator Arlen Specter at http://www.senate.gov/~specter/