Advocacy Activities
The Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine is pleased to partner with various groups in advocating for the health and well-being of adolescents. Below is a list of advocacy and sign-on activities that SAHM has undertaken in the current year.
(View a listing of older sign-on activities: 2020 | 2016 | 2015
August
SAHM joined a coalition led by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Medical Association (AMA) on an amicus brief in support of the District of Columbia’s Minor Consent Act, a public health law protecting minors’ access to medical care.
July
SAHM joins several child and adolescent health professional organizations in a statement endorsing action to institute a minimum age of at least 12 years for juvenile justice system jurisdiction. Children and young adolescents who come in contact with the juvenile justice system need access to developmentally appropriate, trauma-informed, supportive health and social services, not inappropriate punishment.
June
SAHM joins a group of medical, mental health, and educational organizations, led by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in an amicus brief to offer the court overseeing Brandt v. Rutledge case. The brief offered the court scientific views and insights regarding the serious medical condition known as gender dysphoria, the accepted standard of care—known as gender affirming care—for treating adolescents at risk of or suffering from gender dysphoria, and the consequences of denying gender affirming care to such adolescents as would be required by Arkansas House Bill 1570 (enacted as Act 626 and hereinafter referred to as the “Health Care Ban”).
May
SAHM endorses Child and Adolescent Mental and Behavioral Health Principles submitted to Congress and the Biden Administration to strengthen mental and behavioral health care for children.
April
SAHM joins several organizations in support of the Access to Contraception for Servicemembers and Dependents Act of 2021 and urges its inclusion in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022.
SAHM joins joint effort to thank and support congressional leaders for their introduction of the Strengthening the Vaccines for Children Program Act of 2021 (H.R. 2347).
February
SAHM joins joint effort to urge congressional leadership to include an additional $16 million to expand the Pediatric Mental Health Care Access Program at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to all states, D.C., and the territories.
