Welcome to SMFM’s New Advocacy Hub
By: Avery Dunn, SMFM Advocacy Intern
The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine is excited to share our new Advocacy Hub, which serves as a one-stop-shop for all our advocacy initiatives aimed at advancing optimal and equitable perinatal and reproductive health outcomes for all who desire or experience pregnancy. The new site allows visitors to learn about SMFM past and ongoing activities, as well as provides tools to help you take action.
LEARN
Want to know more about SMFM’s advocacy work? The new site showcases our advocacy activities and houses the documents guiding our work, including:
Our 2023 - 2024 Advocacy Agenda, which sets forth the organization’s priorities;
A catalogue of our federal and state advocacy activities dating back to 2017;
Bill trackers for pending state legislation related to abortion access and perinatal health;
A policy and positions section that contains position statements, issue briefs, and committee-authored documents with the Society's official stance on health policy topics; and
Our library of archived State Liaison Network webinars that you can watch to learn more about advancing perinatal and reproductive health in your state.
TAKE ACTION
Now that you know more about our work, we hope you’ll get involved. The Hub has tools to help you advocate, including:
A tool that allows you to send pre-written messages to your elected officials on SMFM’s advocacy priorities. We currently have active campaigns asking your state legislators to protect access to comprehensive reproductive health care, including abortion care. You can also write your federal lawmakers and urge them to cosponsor legislation that would promote the inclusion of pregnant and lactating people in clinical trials.
A form allowing you to request assistance from SMFM staff on state-level policy initiatives.
STAY CONNECTED
The Hub is also the virtual home to the State Liaison Network (SLN), SMFM’s member-led initiative focused on state-level advocacy and implementation of state-based public health programs. SMFM supports members of the SLN by providing technical assistance, including reviewing legislation, drafting testimony, supporting media relations, providing opportunities for networking and collaboration, and so much more. State Liaisons also receive a quarterly newsletter with policy and advocacy updates, opportunities for action, and more – take a look at our latest newsletter. If you are interested in a hands-on approach to advocacy, sign up for the SLN here.
Avery Dunn is a second-year Public Affairs student at the University of California Los-Angeles and an advocacy intern at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. She is interested in reproductive health policy and advocacy on both a state and federal level.