Advocacy Update
SAHM Advocacy Update
By Laura K. Grubb, MD, MPH
SAHM Advocacy Committee Chair
The last few months have been critical for the well-being of adolescents and young adults (AYAs) and there has been no break in our advocacy work. I am amazed at the passion, dedication and selflessness of SAHM members and our affiliates who are on the front lines daily fighting for the rights and welfare of AYAs, those who care for them, and their support systems. Almost daily, SAHM members approach the advocacy committee or leadership with a new project to develop or support. This not an exhaustive list, but SAHM has been working on the following issues: mental health funding, transgender legislative battles, abortion access and legislation, HIV testing and prevention funding (including PrEP), climate change, menstrual poverty, child and adolescent health research, mass shootings, and more.
In the spring, we attended our first meeting with Adm. Rachel Levine, Assistant Secretary for Health and Human Services. SAHM and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) leadership discussed three of our top priorities, which included mental health needs for adolescents, equity, and adolescent confidentiality/health information technology. Our summer meeting focused on long COVID-19, gender affirming care, and abortion access for AYAs. David Bell, Manuel Ángel Oscós-Sánchez, Paritosh Kaul, Sheila Lee, and I represented SAHM. Elizabeth Alderman, Margaret Stager, James Baumberger and Matthew Mariani represented the AAP. Between these meetings, we have been working with other federal agencies and organizations to address these concerns.
Additionally, SAHM members crafted excellent statements in response to recent events including:
SAHM/NASPAG Statement on leaked draft SCOTUS opinion regarding Mississippi v. Jackson Women’s Health
This statement provided actionable advocacy priorities and steps for those who care for AYAs and co-authors included Melanie Baca, Megan Harrison, Laura Grubb, Andrea Hoopes, Loris Hwang, Julie Maslowsky, Mary Romano, Kathleen Tebb and Nichole Tyson.
This statement was a collaboration of seven organizations (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine, Society of Family Planning, Society for Research on Adolescence, Society for Research in Child Development, UCLA Center on the Developing Adolescent) and co-authors included Melanie Baca MD, Karen Bernstein, MD, MPH, Laura K. Grubb, MD, MPH, Megan E. Harrison, MD, FRCPC, Andrea J. Hoopes, MD, MPH,Loris Y. Hwang, MD, Julie Maslowsky, PhD, Mary Romano, MD, MPH, Kathleen Tebb, PhD, and Nichole Tyson, MD.
SAHM Statement in Response to Recurrent Mass Shootings
A diverse authoring group including Alison J. Culyba MD, PhD, MPH, Eric Sigel, MD, Nicholas Westers, PsyD, Jesse Barondeau, MD, Maria Trent, MD, MPH, and Tamera Coyne-Beasley, MD, MPH, crafted this emotional and actionable statement in response to the recent tragedies.
I am beyond impressed by the quality and quantity of work that this all volunteer force provides for AYAs. And, of course, the Executive Director Sheila Lee, and the SAHM leadership are incredibly resourceful and supportive. If you have an advocacy idea or project, we would love to work with you. Here is the list of the Advocacy Team members at SAHM:
Advocacy Committee: Laura K Grubb, MD, MPH, Chair, Saira Ahmed, Aixa Aleman-Diaz, Jesse Barondeau, Paula Cody, Sarah Green, Tonya Katcher, Gregg Montalto and Diane Straub.
Consultants: Joanna Brown, Abigail English, Andrea Hoopes, Karen Johnson, Lisa Mihaly, Sarah Nathan, Maria Rahmandar, Jack Rusley, John Santelli, Eve Shapiro, Margaret Stager, Kathleen Tebb, Iniobond Udo and Ariel White.
Advocacy Special Interest Group: Jennifer Morone, Laura Grubb
Senior Policy Fellow: Abigail English, JD
Again, thank you for all you do! 
Laura K. Grubb, MD, MPH
