IA AAP Legislative Priorities

Access:

Ensure children’s access to health care through:
• A comprehensive Medicaid program covering all medically necessary services
• Addressing barriers to care for children, including the social drivers of health
• Addressing workforce shortages and promoting environments conducive to recruit and retain pediatric providers

Mental Health:

Maintain sustainable funding for comprehensive children's mental health systems to:
• Ensure access to crisis services and treatment
• Expand early identification and prevention, including the 1st Five Healthy Mental Development initiative statewide
• Promote from infancy to adulthood across the continuum of care

Immunization:

Improve Iowa immunization by:
• Protect all Iowans by supporting immunization standards
• Supporting efforts to both equitably distribute and improve routine vaccination rates for all

Safety:

Expand protections and resources to maintain childhood safety through:
• Prevention and responding to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES)
• Identification and prevention of child abuse and neglect
• Promoting safe firearm storage to prevent child injuries and deaths

How can we help in the policymaking process?

As experts in child health, we can policymakers, professionals, and advocates identify policies, strategies, and resources to:

• Promote healthcare including mental health and dental care access, for all children & families
• Eliminate disparities in under-resourced communities
• Support early identification and treatment for children with developmental delays or disabilities
• Reduce the impact of childhood trauma and incorporate trauma-informed
  practices
• Increase prevention measures and reduce the incidence and impact of infectious diseases
• Recognize the unique health needs of adolescents to reduce the risk of infections and substance use
• Enhance childhood obesity prevention, assessment, and treatment

Advocacy Materials for 2025:

• Iowa Blueprint for Children 2025 is a strategic plan designed to improve the well-being of children across Iowa. Its purpose is to ensure that every child in Iowa has the opportunity to thrive, with measurable outcomes for their health, education, and overall quality of life. This blueprint has been finalized for the 2025 legislative session, but will be revised on an as-needed basis.
• Iowa AAP Advocacy Tips & Tricks is a document with advice on how to craft your storytelling to prepare for legislative conversations with legislators and key stakeholders. These tips & tricks are directly from the National AAP Advocacy guide with additional guidance from our contracted lobbyist for an Iowa-perspective.
• Email Template devised to contact your legislators to invite them to our annual legislative breakfast.
• You can also utilize our 2025 IA AAP Legislative Priorities One-Pager as talking points when connecting with legislators. 

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