Advocacy Network
The Advocacy Network is made up of volunteers and staff who promote the March of Dimes mission agenda by contacting the governor and state legislators in response to Chapter action alerts.

 

If you are interested in becoming a public affairs volunteer, or being part of the advocacy network, please email 
Tamara Currin, Tennessee Lead Public Affairs Staff.  

Public Policy Research
One of the responsibilities of the March of Dimes Office of Government Affairs is to direct public policy studies that support national and Chapter advocacy priorities.

Tennessee Advocacy Issues and Priorities
Recent Legislative Successes

In collaboration with our advocacy partners, the following legislative successes were secured to protect the health of mothers and babies in Tennessee.

• Passed the Statewide Smoking Ban in 2007 to protect mothers and babies from second hand smoke exposure.
  Effects of Smoking

• Passed a 42 cent tobacco tax increase in 2007 bringing our tax on cigarettes from 20 cents to 62 cents per pack.
  
  • A Report of the Surgeon General (2000) states that every 10% increase in the price of cigarettes will reduce maternal smoking by 5%, youth smoking by 7% and overall smoking by 3-5%.
    2009 Training Slides
  •  Prior to the 2007 tobacco tax increase, Tennessee ranked 47th among states for low cigarette taxes.  Tennessee currently ranks 37th due to the 2007 increase of Tennessee’s tax by forty-two cents. (Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids) 
    2009 Tobacco Tax Map
  • Secured funding in the state budget for smoking cessation initiatives for pregnant women and youth.
  • Added mandatory hearing screening to the core 29 newborn screenings in 2008. 
    Hearing Screening Bill Signing              Newborn Screening Map

  2009 Legislative Priorities The March of Dimes and our advocacy partners advocate for healthy babies in Tennessee by promoting smoke-free initiatives, improvement of pregnancy outcomes for infants, and continuation of other initiatives benefiting the health of pregnant women and children.

• Maintain the existing smoking ban and strengthen where possible.
• Support treatment options for substance abusing pregnant women. 
• Support the development and use of perinatal and pediatric quality measures for late preterm infants. 
  Late Preterm Birth
• Support federal and state initiatives to improve newborn screening as well as follow up and treatment of infants who test positive for hearing loss.
• Maintain our state birth defects registry.
   

2009 Healthy Babies Day on the Hill Add one of the photos… On March 4, 81 Chapter volunteers and staff dressed in shades of purple visited 132 legislative offices to promote smoke-free initiatives, improvement of pregnancy outcomes for infants, and continuation of initiatives benefiting the health of pregnant women and children. Our group which included representatives from our advocacy partners, Association for Women’s Health Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses was recognized in the Senate General Welfare, Health, and Human Resources committee and heard from Medicaid representatives and other community leaders in the afternoon.  Media representatives attended a visit with a mission family and highlighted the Day on the Hill activities in the evening news report.   To make your voice heard in TN, join our advocacy network.  Click Here

	NATION GETS A “D” ; TENNESSEE Receives “F”
	Tennessee now requires hearing screening for all newborns!