Elevating patient stories and educating lawmakers about the unique role of children's hospitals will remain critical for increasing awareness about the ongoing and essential care provided by children's hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a result, we are again offering an innovative event, Speak Now for Kids Family Advocacy Day, June 12-14. Patient families will represent their children's hospitals and engage with lawmakers by video conference to increase awareness and advance public policy priorities to address:

• The mental, emotional and behavioral health emergency in children, many of whom also struggle with medical conditions.
• Timely access to doctors and other professionals trained to meet the unique health care needs of children.
• The vital role Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) play in families' lives, providing health insurance to nearly half of all children.

Learn more about Speak Now for Kids Family Advocacy Day, including the event theme, activities and ways we will support your hospital's family advocacy efforts:

• Event at a glance.
• Preparation webinar and accompanying slides for hospitals.
• Legislative meetings form – please use this interactive form to log your legislative meetings so that CHA can track them.

View and download poster.

To learn more about this year's event, please visit the 2023 Family Advocacy Day event page.