On Friday evening we held a cocktail reception with several members of the L.A. County Perinatal Task Force including founder, Kimberly Wong to celebrate the work accomplished with ACR 105, the Perinatal Depression Awareness resolution. Much to our surprise, Kimberly presented SPAC with the organization's first annual Perinatal Mental Health Champion Award for advancing this important cause.
It was a tremendous honor to receive this recognition.
In addition to discussing ACR 105 at the conference, the SPAC delegates reviewed nearly 100 bills and ultimately voted to support roughly 35 bills.
Additionally the delegation discussed potential legislation which we would like to sponsor this year and/or next. Sponsoring legislation involves working hand in hand with the legislator who "carries" the bill, pushing the legislation through each step of the advocacy process, including sending letters of support to policy committee chairs, and securing speakers to testify at committee hearings. The delegation requested that the SPAC Legislative Liaison research three potential options:
1. Improving Nutritional Value of School Lunches
2. Requiring Foster Parents receive Additional Training prior to Taking in Youth with Disabilities
3. Teen Dating Violence Prevention Courses in Junior/High Schools
Research is currently underway and a decision will be made as to which sponsored legislation will be selected, by the end of April.
After an eventful couple of days, Cathy Barakin SPAC's Legislative Consultant with Sacramento Advocacy had this to say about our work:
"No other advocacy organization in California comes close to representing the vast needs and interests of the State's underserved women and children. You are respected because you are real people doing this work on your own time and you are considered experts on the needs of the communities you serve. Even in these tough fiscal times, you must continue to be their voice."
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