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State ADVOCACY

SPN members are the subject-matter experts when it comes to protecting the rights and welfare of children. Each of you has the ability to be an effective advocate for children’s rights to healthcare. SPN, through the support of the Healthcare Policy and Advocacy Committee, has created several tools to assist you in your grassroots advocacy efforts. 

Protect Access to Gender-Affirming Care

Legislation seeking to ban or limit gender-affirmation care for minors has begun to crop up—and make progress—in many state legislatures. Any disruption to healthcare access, regardless of gender status, creates the potential for significant harm. Policies that impose deliberate barriers to gender-affirming care targets the physical and mental health of minors seeking this care. Research shows that denying or limiting minors’ access to gender-affirming care can have significant health implications that may result in anxiety, depression, and suicide. 

  1. Issue Brief on State Policy and Access to Gender-Affirming Care 
    1. What is the Issue?
    2. What is Gender-Affirming Care?
    3. Is Gender-Affirming Care Standard Medical Care?
    4. How Does Gender-Affirming Care Help Minors?
    5. What is the Evidence?
    6. How do Laws that Prohibit Gender-Affirming Care Affect Pediatric Nurses?
    7. What can Pediatric Nurses do to Oppose Bills that Inhibit Care?
  2. Talking Points  

get involved within your state

        1. Sign-up to be a State Liaison Advocate.
        2. Use the talking points to write letters to your state representatives.
        3. Use the these Testimony templates to support the perspective of the Pediatric Nurse.
          1. SPN Testimony Supporting Protections to Access Gender-Affirming Care Template
          2. SPN Testimony Opposing Restrictions to Gender-Affirming Care Template
        4. Share your stories (both what worked and what didn't) so we can learn from each other.

    State Advocacy – A grassroots toolkit for Gender Affirming Care

    Is there a pediatric nursing issue you would like HPAC to explore and potentially address? Send an email to [email protected] and include links to supporting information around the issue.