Welcome to the Virtual Advocacy Training Series!
october 15-november 4, 2025 | 1:30-3:30 pm ET
Webinar trainings
Congratulations on being accepted to participate in the U.S. Pain Foundation’s Introduction to Pain Advocacy & Policy Training Series! During this virtual training program, you will learn how to become an effective pain advocate through five, 2-hour sessions covering topics including federal/state policy, the power of advocacy, and communicating your own personal stories.
Each training session will take place over Zoom, and will include one break approximately 25 minutes long. Before each session, participants will receive a calendar link to the Zoom meeting to which you should accept to RSVP. During the session, we ask that participants appear on screen with their names displayed for the first hour on the first day, as well as during subsequent role plays and small group activities during the remaining days.
You should have received a link for attending the first five training sessions. Be sure to save it—there will be only one Zoom link for all training sessions. You can also click here to access the training session link.
The training schedule is as follows:
Wednesday, October 15, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. ET
“What is Advocacy?” | Slides
Wednesday, October 22, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. ET
“The Power of Your Story” | Slides
Thursday, October 23, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. ET
“Federal Pain Policy” | Slides
Wednesday, Ocotber 29, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. ET
“State Pain Policy”
Tuesday, November 4, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. ET
“Your Pain Policy Projects”
Your Host, Cindy Steinberg
Director of Policy and Advocacy, U.S. Pain Foundation
Cindy is the recipient of numerous accolades for her contributions to the field of pain management, including the 2023 American Academy of Pain Medicine Patient Advocacy Award for her commitment, contribution and leadership in the field of Pain Medicine, the 2021 American Massage Therapy Association President’s Award for her advocacy for access to therapeutic massage and other integrative modalities for individuals with chronic pain, the American Academy of Pain Medicine’s 2017 Presidential Commendation Award for leadership on behalf of individuals living with pain, the Grunenthal Unsung Hero Award for significant contributions to advance public policy in pain management as well as the social awareness of pain and suffering, the American Pain Foundation’s Presidential Medal for outstanding contributions to the field of pain management and the State Pain Initiative Champion Award from the Alliance of State Pain Initiatives for her pain policy accomplishments. Cindy was selected as one of six leaders in the field of pain management to receive the Mayday Pain & Society Fellowship for 2013-2014. Her dedication to pain advocacy was sparked when she sustained a severe crush injury that left her with daily back pain.
U.S. Pain team assisting with the training
Post graduates leading small groups
Plus, guest speaker: Dionne Dougall
Dionne Dougall
As a communications strategist and facilitator, relationship manager, coach, and program and event director for three decades, Dionne Dougall connects C-suite leaders and influencers in public health, non-profits and philanthropy – and the audiences they serve – with the information and resources they need.
Chronic Pain Facts: 2025
Resources
Materials Used in Advocacy Training Series
- Advocacy Guidebook
- Federal agencies overview
- Acronyms and terms glossary
- Role Playing Rating Sheet
- Advocacy Project Proposal Form
- Your Turn to Write a Powerful Story (worksheet coming soon!)
- Letter to the Editor/Op-Ed
Recent Federal Pain Policy Milestones
Advancing Research for Chronic Pain Act (ARCPA)
- Bill introduced in Congress by Senators Casey, Kaine, Blackburn & Cramer initiated by U.S. Pain Foundation on September 26, 2023; S2922 Advancing Research for Chronic Pain Act (ARCPA). Bill text
- ARCPA was later added to the Senate SUPPORT Reauthorization Act in the 118th Congress
- House version did not have ARCPA; in budget fights at the end of the 118th Congress in 2024, the House’s version was included in an omnibus and passed without ARCPA
- One-pager on S2922: Understanding the Advancing Research for Chronic Pain Act of 2023
- Our goal is to get ARCPA reintroduced in the 119th Congress
High-level Data on Chronic Pain from the National Health Interview Survey
Important Federal Pain Policy Milestones
Important Milestones
- Pain Management Best Practices overview
- Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force Report Factsheet: Toolkit Graphic
- Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force Report Factsheet: Access to Care
- Factsheet: Five Treatment Approaches
- The HHS Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force Report 2019
The NIH HEAL Initiative
The Helping to End Addiction Long-term or HEAL Initiative funding was appropriated in 2018 and began in 2019. Congress made a half a billion dollar annual investment in the NIH split roughly in half between SUD and Pain Research to try to better understand both conditions and advance new treatments. Learn more about NIH HEAL Initiative.
CDC Guideline
U.S. Pain Foundation Comments
2025
NIH Pain Research Sign-On Letter – Senate Appropriations Committee
NIH Pain Research Sign-On Letter – House Appropriations Committee
2024
U.S. Pain’s Submitted Comments to NIH HEAL’s Strategic Plan RFI
July 1 letter to MA Senate President, Honorable Karen Spilka
Comments on Updates to the Benchmark Plan of California’s Essential Health Benefits
Letter to Senate Majority Leader, Minority Leader, Chair and Ranking Member to take a full Senate vote on S.3393, the Senate SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act | November 2024 (68 organizations signed on)
Letter to House Speaker, Majority Leader, Minority Leader, Chair McMorris, Ranking Member, Health Subcommittee Chair, and Health Subcommittee Ranking Member asking if the House and Senate agree to preconference the SUPPORT Act for inclusion in an end-of-year package, to prioritize the bipartisan Advancing Research for Chronic Pain Act that was included in the Senate’s marked-up reauthorization bill. | November 2024 (68 organizations signed on)
U.S. Pain Foundation Survey Reports
2025
- Behind the Numbers: What it Really Means to Live With Chronic Pain
- The Hidden Reality of Chronic Pain in Youth
- The True Story of Chronic Pain in Kids (kid-friendly language)
- What it Truly Means to Parent a Child or Teen With Chronic Pain
- The Hidden Struggles of Chronic Pain Caregivers
- Treating Chronic Pain: Health Care Provider Voices and Perspectives
- The Realities of Acute Pain
2022
Other Federal Pain Policy Documents
Sources and Citations
Find stat sources about chronic pain here.
Boston Globe health journalist Felice Freyer wrote about the impact of the opioid crisis on people with chronic pain after attending Cindy’s Pain Group
Recent webinars delving into pain research
Sponsors
We thank our sponsors for supporting this important initiative. The 2025 Virtual Advocacy Training Series was developed independently with funding support from:
And to our Corporate Council.
