Policy & Advocacy

Share your voice to help ensure public policies support moms, babies, and families.

 

Tips on communicating with elected officials:

  • Clearly state the action you would like them to take, such as supporting a proposed policy that would promote the health of babies.
  • Explain your reasons and note how this issue is relevant to you, as a constituent, and your family and community.
  • Keep it short, polite, and factual.

Contact your state legislators:

Find your Montana Legislator here.

The Montana Legislature is currently in session! The Have Your Say Montana web pages is a great source for all things legislative and offers assistance on contacting legislators, watching hearings, tracking bills and offering testimony.

Contact your statewide elected officials:

Governor Greg Gianforte (R)

Contact your Congressional representatives:

Senator Jon Tester (D)

Senator Steve Daines (R)

Representative Matt Rosendale (R)

National Policy and Advocacy Resources

  • ZERO to THREE: data and guidance to ensure public policies are based in research and promising practices for young children
  • 2020 Mom: founded in 2011 as the California Maternal Mental Health Collaborative, has evolved as a national organization with a mission to close gaps in maternal mental health care
  • The Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP) is a national resource and advocate for those working to improve the health of families, including those with special health care needs

Everyone wins when Montana mothers, babies, and families are thriving.

Early childhood experiences affect a person’s wellbeing for life. Plus, research shows that if we invest in the wellbeing of young children, we increase the worth of the future workforce.

We can do better

  • Of developed nations, the United States has the highest rate of mother deaths related to birth and pregnancy.
  • 21% of Montana children under age 5 live in poverty.
  • Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS), also know as abusive head trauma (AHT),  is a leading type of child abuse in the United States.
  • 25% of SBS/AHT cases are fatal.
  • 80% of SBS/AHT victims who survive have permanent disabilities.