Advocacy

At Cook Children's, we're working hard to make childhood the best it can be. But we can't do it alone. Kids need a strong voice - yours

Children are a very big part of our world. But when it comes to their health, they have very small voices. For this reason, it's our responsibility to speak up for those who can't speak for themselves. From local communities to state and federal platforms, Cook Children's is committed to improving

the well-being of every child. This is Our Promise. Help us improve the issues that impact their quality of life.

Most people want to advocate for kids, but don't know where to start, so we've put together a few steps to help you speak up for kids.

Step 1: Learn the issues

Issue: Affordable care for Texas kids

If illness or injury strikes a child the financial cost can be high. But you can't put a price on the life of a child. We invite you to explore the following organizations, learn who is advocating for affordable pediatric care, what the benefits are to all of us and how you can get involved.

State organizations working on this issue		National organizations working on this issue
Texas CHIP Coalition Cover Texas Now Texas Well and Healthy ACA Benefits to Texas Children ACA Texas Update February 2014 Texas Medicaid - CHIP		Speak Now For Kids American Academy of Pediatrics Covering Kids and Families Health Insurance Marketplace Medicaid and CHIP The Affordable Care Act Families USA Family Voices Autism Speaks

Issue: Health and human services

Parenting can be rewarding, but also costly. Add in serious illness, injury, disability or chronic conditions and those costs can be staggering, draining even hefty family resources. Emotional and financial lifelines are available through public services that can literally be life-saving.

State organizations working on this issue		National organizations working on this issue
Your Texas Benefits Help for Texas families Help for Parents, Hope for Kids SNAP food benefits Texas Health and Human Services Commission		U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Child Welfare League of America Child Trends

Issue: Legislation and political action

Good policies help ensure that kids have access to high-quality, cost-effective preventive, primary and specialty care pediatric services. Find out what policies your state and national representatives support and how they impact your family and the ability of children's hospitals to care for all children.

State organizations working on this issue		National organizations working on this issue
Children's Hospital Association of Texas Issues and Advocacy League of Women Voters of Texas		League of Women Voters March of Dimes Advocacy Children's Hospital Association - Public Policy U.S. Senate active legislation U.S. House of Representatives legislative activity

Step 2: Be heard

There are many ways to make your voice heard at both the state and national levels. But sometimes it can be hard figure out where to start. Here, you’ll find information on who represents you and how to contact them by letter, email and/or phone.

Contact your state officials		Contact your national officials
Write to your elected officials Contact the Office of the Governor Find your Texas legislators Register to vote in Texas		Contact your elected officials Corresponding with the White House United States Senate Find your U.S. Senator Contact your U.S. Senator Toolkit: How to write to your legislators Find your U.S. Representative

Step 3: Vote

When you don't take action, only a handful of people make decisions that will impact your family for years to come. So make sure your voice is heard.

Most people vote for politicians. We vote for kids. Healthy kids begin in a healthy community, and many of the policies that impact pediatric care begin at the local level. Be the voice for kids by voting in all elections—local, state and national.

Advocacy at Cook Children's

Access to quality care

Every child, regardless of socioeconomic background, deserves access to the safest, highest quality care possible. Providing that access is a key component of our promise to improve the health of the children of our community for generations to come.

Access to a medical home		Patient safety and quality care
Neighborhood clinics Primary care Specialties Urgent care Emergency care Medical center		Quality and safety

Safety and prevention

An ounce of prevention can make a lifetime of difference. We partner with nearly 300 organizations to improve the safety and health of all children in our region through education, disease and injury prevention and advocacy. Our community initiatives address the major issues affecting our communities.

Safety and prevention initiatives		Partners
Bicycle safety Child maltreatment prevention Car safety Human trafficking prevention Poison prevention TV and furniture tip-overs Vaccines and immunizations		Safe Kids Tarrant County The Center for Children's Health

Affordable care

Accessing affordable care for kids can sometimes be very overwhelming for parents. At Cook Children's, our goal is to get kids covered. To help parents and caregivers make the best choices for them, we've put together information to help make navigating insurance and coverage options easier.

Health plans and Medicaid/CHIP		Guide to health insurance and financial aid
Cook Children's Health Plan (CCHP)		Cook Children's financial assistance policy

Health and wellness

Health and wellness for children and families begins in the community. Cook Children's Community Health Outreach department (CHO) works together with more than 240 partner organizations to improve the safety and health of at-risk children in our six-county region through education, disease and injury prevention and advocacy.

Community wellness		Issues affecting our 6-county area
The Center for Children's Health Homeless initiative Immunization collaboration Mental Health Connection Safe Kids Tarrant County Save a Smile Community Health Needs Assessment Report		Abuse Asthma Dental health Mental health Obesity Safety