NEACH Advocacy Day at State Capitol – Friday, February 23, 2024

The Nebraska Advocates for Child Health – a collaborative advocacy effort of the Nebraska Chapter AAP and the Nebraska Regional Council of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (ROCAP) – invite member physicians to attend our Third Annual Advocacy Day at State Capitol. Now more than ever, it is important for lawmakers to hear from pediatric health experts as they make decisions that will impact health care and the health of Nebraska’s children and adolescents.

Make your voice heard.

NO PRIOR ADVOCACY EXPERIENCE NEEDED.
Open to seasoned advocates and anyone wanting to learn more about advocating for child health.

TENTATIVE AGENDA: (UPDATED 2.8.24)

8:30 AM – Meet in Children’s Admin Parking Lot (for those wishing to carpool to Lincoln)

9:45 AM – Meet at Nebraska State Capitol, south side entrance

10:00 AM – Group Visits with State Senators

10:30 AM – Lunch & Morning Recap

11:00 AM – Group Visits with State Senators

11:30 AMLunch in the Capitol Cafeteria & Discussion

1:00 PMObserve Legislative Hearing or Meet with Senators

3:00 PM – Leave Capitol

The visits are conducted in groups that will include both experienced advocates and those learning the advocacy process.

REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED. If you are still interested in attending, please email director@nebraska-aap.org

Advocacy Training Session for Child Health Providers 12/1

Nebraska AAP and the Nebraska Regional Council of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry invite you to hone your advocacy skills at two online training sessions. These sessions are open to all NEAAP and ROCAP members as well as medical students and residents.

The next session, December 1 from 6-7 PM, will feature former Senator Sara Howard providing a lawmaker perspective on to help sharpen your skills and increase your advocacy effectiveness.

We hope you will join us.

2022 Advocacy Sessions - 12/1

AAP Chapter Leaders Take to Capitol Hill, Join Us Today!

A Message from AAP President Fernando Stein, MD, FAAP

Today, I have the honor of joining AAP chapter leaders from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico in our nation’s capital to urge our members of Congress to protect children’s health care coverage.

Traveling from across the country, each leader brings a unique perspective to the critical advocacy work before us, from those who live and treat patients in rural America to those who work in our country’s largest cities.

Our patient stories, our advocacy journeys and the issues that drive them may vary, but together, we represent one strong and united voice for children. With a new Congress and administration in full swing and decisions taking place every day that will impact the future of children’s health coverage, now is the time to ensure that voice is heard.

I write to you today to ask you to add your voice to our effort.

The AAP Chapter Leaders Fly-In, made possible by the Friends of Children Fund, is also taking place in conjunction with the AAP Committee on Federal Government Affairs meeting.

This afternoon, all of us will be meeting with our members of Congress and their staff to share three main messages: Renew the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), keep Medicaid strong, and support consumer protections in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that benefit children.

For each of these meetings, we will be bringing along new state-by-state fact sheets that highlight how these three programs work together for children.

There are several ways you can take part in today’s efforts from home:

Contact your members of Congress by visiting the AAP’s federal advocacy website and clicking on “Protect Children’s Health Care Coverage” in the Advocacy Action Center. There, you will find a template email and talking points to guide your outreach.

Share messages on social media using #Docs4Coverage on the importance of protecting children’s health care coverage. Sample tweets below:

Children’s health coverage in {Your State} has reached historic highs thanks to #Medicaid, #CHIP, and #ACA. #Docs4Coverage

I’m joining #Docs4Coverage because consistent, affordable coverage gives {state abbreviation} kids a better chance for a healthy future. {link to state fact sheet}

Download your state’s fact sheet for a snapshot of children’s coverage, using data on Medicaid, CHIP and the ACA.

Thank you for all you do for children every day. I look forward to continuing this work together in the name of what is right for our patients and their families.

Sincerely,

Fernando Stein, MD, FAAP
President
American Academy of Pediatrics
@AAPPres

Advocacy Statement

From the Chapter President

Dear Nebraska Pediatrician,

Policy changes regarding immigration and the possible repeal of the Affordable Care Act will have significant implications for the health and well being of millions of children and their families. The AAP released a statement on January 25, 2019 that affirmed support for immigrant families and their children and urged the administration to ensure their safety.

As experts in child health, our input on issues that impact child health is important, and we and should weigh in on the debate.

The Nebraska Chapter Executive Board has drafted a position statement encouraging the state leadership to safeguard child health and child health initiatives. The letter will be sent to you in an email in the next few days. Please consider adding your voice to our efforts to ensure the safety and health of all of our children. Individual contact with our district and state representatives can also send important and powerful message to the policy makers.
Arwa Nasir, MD
President