Advocacy

Dates to Remember 2010

• August 3rd: State Primary for gubernatorial and legislative candidates
• October 4th: Last day to register before November General Election
• November 2nd: General Election! Vote with Children in Mind!

Voter Registration http://www.michigan.gov/documents/MIVoterRegistration_97046_7.pdf (PDF)

Type in your address and get an online ballot at Online Voter Information Center:
http://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,1607,7-127-1633-49313--,00.html or www.publius.org

Parents as First Teachers about Citizenship: Promoting Voting with Families

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics Advocacy Guide (2009 www.aap.org/moc/advocacyguide), advocacy means speaking out on behalf of your patients. As a pediatrician, there are 4 levels of advocacy you can engage in:

1. Individual Advocacy — Individual advocacy is the direct care and resources you provide to your patients. This might be done by calling Early On to refer a patient, following up with a school nurse, or reporting a case of child abuse to the state Child Protective Services.
2. Community Advocacy — Community advocacy builds on individual advocacy but benefits the children in the broader community. Community advocacy takes into consideration the environmental, social, and economic factors that impact the health and well-being of your patients and children in your community. As a pediatrician you can be an advocate in collaborative partnerships such as a Safe Kids Coalition, Great Start Early Childhood Collaborative, or a local school health advisory board.
3. State Advocacy — The MIAAP engages in state policy and budget advocacy on child health and well-being issues. Our legislative/government affairs committee develops strategies and messages to address the MIAAP strategic priorities in the legislature, with the Governor and administrative branch, and in the judicial process, such as the lawsuit we supported Westside Mothers vs. the State of Michigan. The MIAAP professional staff facilitates advocacy and lobbying on behalf of our members and the children we care for.
4. Federal Advocacy — Federal advocacy involves using your voice to advocate on behalf of national laws, legislation, and policy that affect child health. Most notably the AAP works on issues related to Medicaid, SCHIP (State Child Health Insurance Program), and federal Maternal and Child Health block grant. (www.aap.org/advocacy)

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How can MIAAP members be involved in advocacy?

• Join the legislative/government affairs committee. Contact Denise Sloan at
• Resident/Student Advocacy Capacity Building. Provides training and annual day at the capitol for residents and medical students. Contact Michele Strasz at
• Volunteer to provide expert testimony on MIAAP strategic priorities.
• Contact the Michigan governor, state legislators, and federal officials — http://capwiz.com/msms/state/main/?state=MI
• Respond to MIAAP Electronic Action Alerts to advocate MIAAP legislative priorities.

Follow MIAAP’s Government Affairs Committee

• Strategic priorities we advocate for in the budget process that promote child health and prevention
• Federal Issues MIAAP is tracking — http://www.aap.org/advocacy.html
• MIAAP: Education/Government Affairs

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Communicating with Elected Officials

Elected officials are in office to represent the concerns of their constituents. They cannot do this if they do not hear from you! There are several ways to communicate with them. Choose the method that you are most comfortable with.

How do I contact Elected Officials about child health?

• Write a letter or email to your elected official. http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/Publications/CitizensGuide.pdf (See sample below.)
• Call your Elected Official and speak to him or her or a member of the staff.
• Make an appointment to see your elected official or a member of the staff.
• Write a letter to the editor of your local paper.
• Vote! Encourage others to Vote with Children in Mind!
• Join MIAAP staff and members on legislative visits (Contact )

For more information: Contact the MIAAP at 517-484-3013,
For a directory of Michigan Elected Officials see http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/Publications/CitizensGuide.pdf

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Sample Letter to Elected Officials

You can send correspondence to elected officials at the following addresses:

For a directory of Elected Officials see

http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/Publications/CitizensGuide.pdf

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