Advocacy is far from an afterthought in this guide. The field would not be where it is today without years of effective advocacy from every level of the field that resulted in parity and reform. Healthcare reform and parity are a direct result of years of legislative work by thousands of dedicated individuals and organizations. While the field can celebrate the results and achievements recently attained, we must not forget to plan for the future; the future must include ongoing advocacy efforts. Advocacy at the Federal, state, and local level MUST continue to avoid losing the tremendous gains made in.
