Hello Michigan Chapter members!

Last week, more than 70 members and executives of NAPNAP met in Washington, D.C. for an Advocacy Forum and meetings with members of Congress. We had the opportunity to meet with our representatives to advocate on behalf of pediatric healthcare issues. The primary topics of discussion were as follows: 

1. Youth Nicotine Addition: Given the recent rise in nicotine and e-cigarette use in children and adolescents, we urged members of Congress to pass bipartisan legislation to tighten restrictions on the sales of these products.
2. Public Awareness of Vaccine and Immunization: Vaccines have been proven to be safe and effective, however there is ongoing hesitation to vaccinating children. We asked members of Congress to support the VACCINES Act to support research efforts surrounding vaccine hesitancy and improve public awareness of the importance of vaccines.
3. Healthcare of Immigrant Children in Federal Custody: We urged members of Congress to support legislation that would ensure minimum standards of healthcare for children and allow qualified healthcare providers to perform necessary screening and treatment.

Advanced Practice Nursing Education: With the growing demand for healthcare providers, including advanced practice nurses, we urged members of Congress to support the “Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2019” which would continue funding for nursing programs to meet the growing demands of the nation’s health.

The NAPNAP Advocacy Center provides access to key child health and practice legislation, as well as a link to find your local representative and compose a message. To make things even easier, NAPNAP Advocacy Center has a link for current advocacy campaigns that will generate a letter regarding the topic and send directly to your representative in only a few minutes!

1. Clink the link: https://www.napnap.org/advocacy-center
2. Once logged on, clink on one of the specific legislation topics
3. Fill in your information for the pre-generated letter
4. Send to your representative!

Thank you for caring and advocate for our children! Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions or comments!

Danielle Van Damme, DNP, CPNP-AC

Michigan Chapter President-Elect

dmvandamme@gmail.com