Mission Partners

The American Epilepsy Society is a professional society of physicians, scientists, and other health professionals with an interest in treating and researching epilepsy. Its members include the leading American experts in the field; its annual meetings attract scientists and clinicians from all over the world. The Epilepsy Foundation and the Society work together to improve epilepsy care, to advance research, improve access to medical care, and to support public advocacy for increased federal support of research. The Foundation and the Society also co-sponsor special initiatives and events, such as the Consensus Statement on Driver's Licensing (with the American Academy of Neurology) and the recent Curing Epilepsy conference sponsored by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

The International Bureau of Epilepsy (IBE) is a worldwide organization that addresses social problems for people with epilepsy such as education, employment, insurance, driving license restrictions, and public awareness. To improve international understanding of epilepsy, IBE publishes a quarterly magazine that keeps readers informed on international developments and publishes booklets covering a wide range of subjects. The Epilepsy Foundation is the American member of the International Bureau.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is recognized as the lead federal agency for protecting the health and safety of people - at home and abroad, providing credible information to enhance health decisions, and promoting health through strong partnerships. The Epilepsy Foundation is collaborating with CDC on a multifaceted public education and awareness initiative, known as Entitled to Respect, to fight stigma and help vulnerable children and teens with epilepsy make a healthy adjustment to the condition and achieve a positive quality of life.

The American Academy of Neurology is the professional organization for clinical and research neurologists. It holds scientific meetings to present research and professional education in all areas of neurology, including epilepsy. The Epilepsy Foundation has been a co-sponsor with the Academy on certain activities, to include initiatives for public education about neurology and neurological disease and practice parameters of medical treatment of epilepsy in women.

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke is one of the federally-supported National Institutes of Health. It is the source of most of the federal support of epilepsy-related research. It funds major projects, sometimes for extended periods of time, that compete on the basis of scientific merit with other research projects. The Epilepsy Foundation takes a keen interest in the work of the Institute and its level of funding. One of the research priorities of the Foundation is to make sure that epilepsy and epilepsy-related research gets its fair share of federal dollars. The Foundation worked closely with the Institute in preparing for the landmark "Curing Epilepsy: Focus on the Future" conference held in early 2000.

The Families & Advocates Partnership for Education (FAPE) works with the Epilepsy Foundation to inform families about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997 (IDEA '97) so that children with disabilities can reach their full potential.