The VA General Assembly began January 13th. With a virtual session this year, traditionally advocacy is limited. Digital advocacy leverages technology to contact, inform, and mobilize a group of concerned individuals around an issue or cause. Join us in advocating digitally by using this social media toolkit! Use our pre-drafted posts and graphics on social media platforms (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIN, and in Clubhouse chats). Forward our Voices from the Capitol emails, join to our email list, share your story, and take action when you receive action alerts.
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Event Link: https://vakids.org/join-us/events/digitaladvocacyday
Post One:
According to a 2019 Pew Research survey, roughly eight in ten people who identify as Black with some college experience reported that they have experienced some form of racial discrimination from time to time with 17 percent reporting that this happens to them regularly.
Call to Ask: Create systemic interventions for trauma by supporting Del. Aird’s resolution to declare racism as a public health crisis.
Post Two:
Del. Aird introduced a resolution during special session to declare racism as a public health crisis. It included numerous steps that VA can take to address its impact on public health, including the examination of racial inequity in law, implicit bias training, and more.
Call to Ask: Create systemic interventions for trauma by supporting Del. Aird’s resolution to declare racism as a public health crisis.
Post Three:
19 percent of VA’s children experience two or more adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). However, in 2017 to 2018, 37 percent of Black children experienced two or more ACEs, which is almost double the rate of trauma that all children experienced.
Call to Ask: Prioritize the needs of children by making the Gov’s Children’s Cabinet permanent and creating a Chief Advisor position.
Post Four:
The Gov’s Children’s Cabinet has made great strides in promoting wraparound services that children need, including food insecurity, trauma-informed systems & school readiness. VA should cabinet permanent and create a Chief Advisor position in order to continue this momentum.
Call to Ask: Prioritize the needs of children by making the Gov’s Children’s Cabinet permanent and creating a Chief Advisor position.
Post Five:
In 2019, Virginia Mercury reported that Black women in Virginia were three times more likely to die after giving birth than a white women, a disparity that Governor Northam made a goal to eliminate by 2025.
Call to Ask: Connect parents to supports that foster positive health outcomes through Medicaid coverage for doula services and home visiting.
Post Six:
Home visiting is a voluntary, evidence-based program that supports low-income pregnant women and parents of children birth age to five to access the resources needed to raise children who are healthy and ready to learn.
Call to Ask: Connect parents to supports that foster positive health outcomes through Medicaid coverage for doula services and home visiting.
Post Seven:
Virginia Heals offers a number of services, including resource mapping, screening for trauma, referral & response, agency assessments, family engagement, grant development and more. The Gov’s budget proposal includes $517,553 in FY22 to provide general fund supports.
Call to Ask: Support early identification and intervention by supporting the Gov’s budget proposal for VA Heals.
Post Eight:
We know that our communities and public entities are facing challenges in adjusting to COVID-19. Our systems of care should be cohesive and easy to navigate for those who need them. VA can adopt ease the trauma and victimization that community members may experience.
Call to Ask: Support early identification and intervention by supporting the Gov’s budget proposal for VA Heals.
Post Nine:
The Family and Children’s Trust (FACT) Fund is the only public/private entity that addresses trauma across a lifespan and the only organization that provides funding to Virginia’s 27 trauma-informed community networks across the state.
Call to Ask: Promote financial stability and resilience by supporting FACT funding.
Post Ten:
While funding for community-based networks occurred during the 2020 GA through approval for 5 casinos in 5 communities, this funding will not be seen immediately. VA is poised to promote financial stability through investments in FACT funding for community partnerships.
Call to Ask: Promote financial stability and resilience by supporting FACT funding.
Post Eleven:
In 2019, when accounting for the population of children that were chronically absent from school in the 4th grade, of that population 9 % are Asian and Pacific Islander, 30% are Black, 31% are Hispanic or Latinx, 23% are Non-Hispanic white, and 28% are two or more races.
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Several factors contribute to chronic absenteeism, including chronic illness, poor transportation, a lack of access to mental health services, involvement in juvenile justice systems, negative school experiences, a lack of engagement and misconceptions.
Call to Ask: Address unintentional biases that can lead to additional trauma for children by preventing inequitable policy solutions.
Post One:
1.2 million Virginians have zero paid sick days or paid time off which amounts to 41 percent of the private-sector. Paid leave can be used for short periods of time to recover from an illness, such as COVID-19 and preventative care, such as vaccines.
Call to Action: Expand paid leave options to protect communities by investing in paid time off.
Post Two:
15 states have sick days laws, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. Virginia has the opportunity to be the 16th to create a standard.
Call to Action: Expand paid leave options to protect communities by investing in paid time off.
Post Three:
When an economic downturn occurs over a prolonged period of time, this creates toxic stress. Poverty reduces the ability for children and families to have access to transportation, housing, child care, food, and more.
Call to Action: Strengthen safety net resources for families through TANF.
Post Four:
The TANF program provides eligible families with a monthly cash payment to meet their basic needs. While there was a 15 percent increase in monthly cash assistances provided by TANF, the program has not kept up with the rate of inflation. VA should take advantage of this surplus.
Call to Action: Strengthen safety net resources for families through TANF.
Post Five:
COVID-19 has increased VA’s food insecurity rate from 9.9 percent to 13.1 percent according to Feeding America. A food desert neighborhood generally lacks a nearby supermarket or large grocery store because of the cost food retailers face when building or operating a store.
Call to Action: Increase access to affordable and healthy food options by supporting the Virginia Produce RX Program & the Virginia Food Access Investment Program Fund.
Post Six:
Food insecurity is an issue that exists in VA’s inner cities, small towns, or rural communities. While 1.25 million was invested in the VA Food Access Investment Program Fund last year, VA must invest in funding that expands infrastructure and healthy food projects.
Call to Action: Increase access to affordable and healthy food options by supporting the Virginia Produce RX Program & the Virginia Food Access Investment Program Fund.
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