As a part of the program's commitment to advocacy, a group of health professionals, medical students, and program staff went to Albany on Wednesday, May 2 to meet with lawmakers and advocate for passage of historic legislation Senate Bill S-6795 and Assembly Bill A-5891 prohibiting the participation of health professionals licensed in the state in the torture and improper treatment of prisoners. Furthermore, this bi-partisan legislation provides health professionals with strong legal protection to resist and report any participation in acts of torture and abuse.

Advocates met with almost 30 Legislative offices as well as the bills' sponsors Senator Thomas Duane and Assemblymember Richard Gottfried.

The Advocacy Day was covered in the Legislative Gazette. Dr. Allen Keller was quoted: "Preventing medical participation in torture is crucial to our profession's moral integrity. It is appropriate that future health professionals are not only reminding us of this but leading the way."

To learn more about the legislation: www.whenhealersharm.org