Title: A New Group Fighting for Our Children
Category: Access To Children's Health Care
In Washington, D.C., recently, the American Academy of Pediatrics formed the Coalition for America's Children with over a hundred other child advocate groups. This organization is intent on focusing on children's needs and holding our politicians accountable for their votes. Of all groups in our society, children have the least representation and need the most help in speaking out for their many needs. The coalition will work to promote a sensible agenda for better health, education, safety and security of all American children. The American Academy of Pediatrics along with the other organizations involved hope to raise concern for children's needs and move them to the top of the national public policy agenda.
The U.S. infant mortality rate is higher now than 21 other industrialized countries. One in five adolescents in America has some serious physical or mental health problem. One in four American children is not fully immunized. One in six has no public or private health insurance or access to any care. The coalition feels that all children deserve to receive regular health care and receive boosters and checkups to prevent disease. Presently in our wealthy society, far too many children do not receive such care.
Some of the questions the coalition is asking politicians are:
1. What is their plan for insuring that all American children do have health care?
2. How will we be sure all children will enter school ready to succeed and that college will be within the reach of all American families?
3. How will they make our communities, homes and schools safe for our children?
4. How will they guarantee that every American child has food to eat and a place to sleep?
Please join the coalition in asking these questions of all who are running for office.
The Coalition for America's Children is made up of a distinguished group of child advocates including the American Academy of Pediatrics, The American Association of School Administrators, the American Federation of Teachers, the Association of Junior Leagues International, the National Association of Children's Hospitals and close to forty other children's advocacy groups. They are hoping to be effective collectively by not lobbying for specific agendas but rather by pushing the broad proposition that government must play an important role in securing adequate health education and safety for all of our children. If any individual is interested in getting involved in this important campaign, they can work along with the American Academy of Pediatrics by calling Lisa Tate, public affairs manager for the AAP in Washington at 1-800-336-5475.