Sarah Nau, MSW
Late this spring WCAAP solicited feedback from our members and partners to help us strategize and make decisions for the year ahead about how best to serve the membership and our communities throughout Washington. In addition to collecting general demographic data, the member survey sought input regarding WCAAP’s upcoming legislative focus, top clinic-facing interventions and supports, professional challenges, and interest in various Chapter activities. Thank you to everyone who participated in the survey!
With nearly 10% of membership from across the state responding to the survey, WCAAP staff compiled the responses and are pleased to share some highlights from the results. When asked “What child health inequities or gaps are most pressing for children and youth in your community that WCAAP could focus our legislative advocacy on?” 89% identified access to mental health care as the top priority, with social emotional well-being (53%), family economic stability/Social determinants of health (46%), food insecurity/nutrition/obesity (38%), firearm safety (38%), and early relational health (32%) rounding out the top 6 responses.
There was unsurprising overlap in the responses to the question “What are your top 3 priorities for clinic-facing interventions and support?” with 49% selecting family economic stability/social determinants of health as a top priority, followed closely by food insecurity/nutrition/obesity at 48%, promoting early relational health (43%), adverse and positive childhood experiences (43%), and delayed or missed developmental screening/early intervention (31%).
As mentioned above, this year WCAAP surveyed our partners who participate in our Champions for Youth and/or First Year Families Steering Committees. These partners represent local and state health departments, state government, parents, schools, early childhood community-based organizations, behavioral health, and others. Our partners were also asked to identify what WCAAP should focus our legislative advocacy on; their responses indicate family economic stability/social determinants of health as a top priority (69%), with social emotional well-being for children and teens (62%), access to mental health care (54%) and early relational health (38%) noted as priorities too.
When combined with our member survey responses, there were four issues both groups selected as legislative advocacy priorities: access to mental health care, social emotional well-being for children and teens, family economic stability/social determinants of health, and early relational health.
Thanks to these results, WCAAP staff, the Board, and Legislative Committee are working hard to identify our organization-wide legislative priorities and support items, as well as what programming, activities, and supports we can provide to our members and communities to continue to improve the health and wellbeing of Washington’s children and families. Keep an eye on Developments for upcoming information or to learn more about our advocacy efforts, email Sarah Nau to join our Legislative Committee or sign up for Advocacy Day.
To see the survey results in their entirety, you can access a digital copy of the deck here.