Today marks the one year anniversary of a Smoke Free Wisconsin!

Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin has been supporting SmokeFree Wisconsin since the beginning. A big thanks to Children’s Hospital employees and our community advocates for helping get this law passed! We know a smoke free Wisconsin makes a positive difference for our kids.

And our advocacy efforts continue to make a difference! Governor Scott Walker issued the following statement on the upcoming anniversary of the state’s smoking ban. “Although I did not support the original smoking ban, after listening to people across the state, it is clear to me that it works. Therefore I will not support a repeal.”

In addition, results of a recent survey conducted on behalf of Smokefree Wisconsin, American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, and American Lung Association prove that Wisconsin’s smoke-free law is a big hit with Wisconsin voters!

The results of the survey proved Wisconsin’s smoke-free law is a big hit. Voters are deeply concerned about secondhand smoke, and they report that the smoke-free law has led to a more enjoyable, healthier experience when going out to restaurants and bars. The bottom line is that a wide, bi-partisan coalition of voters endorses the current law and opposes efforts to weaken the law.

Visit the Children’s Advocacy Network to see the survey results.

~ Michelle Mettner, vice president, Government Relations, Children’s Hospital and Health System

When I tell people what I do for a living, often I get a puzzled look when I say, “I advocate for children’s health.” I explain that I work for Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, and it’s my job to make sure our elected officials understand how the work they do impacts the lives of children.

For example, a recent proposed change in President Obama’s budget calls for the elimination of federal funding for Children’s

Thirty-six lab coats hang outside Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin to raise awareness of the impact of proposed funding cuts to resident training programs on health care for children.

Graduate Medical Education. This cut is alarming because it has a real impact on Wisconsin and the health of our children. The funding provides children’s hospitals with much-needed dollars for physician education. In Wisconsin, 60 percent of residents from Children’s Hospital’s training programs choose to stay here when they complete their residency training. Some may practice in primary care by joining a pediatric practice and others choose to train further. All of them help our children.

So, you may ask, how does the elimination of federal funding for this program impact our children? It means we’ll have fewer doctors who specialize in the care of children to take care of our kids.

Please consider contacting your federal elected officials. It truly can have a great deal of impact and only takes a few minutes. In fact, it takes less than 10 individual letters to get an elected official’s attention on a particular issue. To learn more about the funding cuts, visit nachri.net.

Are you interested in learning more about Children’s Hospital advocacy efforts and the work we are doing with elected officials? Sign up to receive updates from Children’s Advocacy Network.

~ Michelle Mettner, vice president, Government Relations, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin

For so many Americans who lost their jobs and their insurance, Medicaid is an important safety net. Now imagine you lost both your job and your insurance benefits and your child gets sick, but you have the Medicaid safety net. So, you call your doctor, only to be told that your doctor’s office can’t see your child because he or she cannot see any more Medicaid patients. You are told this is because the state can’t afford to pay the costs for the services. (more…)

Our state’s Legislature is considering legislation that can help save lives in our schools. Can you help us?

Assembly Bill 725 will require all schools in Wisconsin to offer enrolled high school students instruction in lifesaving skills.

In situations when an emergency happens, time is of the essence. Many lives can be saved because people at the scene of a cardiac emergency have the necessary tools to recognize and respond appropriately.

Cardiovascular diseases remain Wisconsin’s No. 1 killer, yet many lives can be saved if simple lifesaving procedures are initiated by lay rescuers. By providing simple instruction in the high school setting, our young adults will have an increased comfort level and the necessary tools to help save a life.
(more…)

It’s a funny headline that invokes funny images – toddlers running down the halls of congress, infants putting on their best diapers to impress and teenagers texting about a critical vote.

It’s a funny image, because this could never happen. Children – from the youngest to the oldest – don’t get opportunities to speak up on issues that impact their lives. Think of the numerous laws that impact children – abuse, neglect, reimbursement or disability, to name just a few. Yet who do we rely on to make sure those affected are heard?

Advocacy efforts rely on the strength and action of volunteers who care about kids and want to make a difference. Children are not able to represent themselves on issues that directly impact their care. (more…)