Family Advocacy Day 2026

Every summer, children and families from across the country gather in Washington, D.C., to share their stories with members of Congress.

These personal narratives put faces to the policies that affect millions of children and help lawmakers understand what’s truly at stake.

This year, 55 patient advocates, from ages 21 months to 21 years, are attending Family Advocacy Day to champion policies for children’s health.

They’ll ask policymakers to:

• Protect and strengthen Medicaid and CHIP, which insure nearly half of U.S. children
• Elevate children’s health by preventing proposals that could reduce access to care
• Boost the pediatric workforce through federal policies and increased funding for Children’s Hospital Graduate Medical Education
• Address the ongoing youth mental health crisis

Over 21 years, nearly 1,000 child advocates have visited Capitol Hill during Family Advocacy Day, meeting with more than 2,500 leaders directly responsible for passing laws in our country. Learn more about CHA’s advocacy efforts and how our pediatric advocates use their voices for change.