Be involved in issues important to you!
Why is this work important?
'Reaching out to legislators serves many purposes. It helps your elected representative more clearly understand the concerns of your organization and the population it serves. If you are an individual or a family member it allows you to explain how a proposed new law or regulation would impact you personally. If you run an agency or a program, it allows you to demonstrate the social contributions of your program, and it can provide an opportunity to showcase the services you provide and the people you employ and serve.'
'There are two main methods for having fact-to-face meetings with legislators. One is a legislative visit, where you visit the legislator’s office for a meeting. The other is a site visit, where you invite the legislator and his/her staff to attend a community event, or to tour your program. Regardless of the form the visit takes, it is part of building an ongoing relationship with your elected representatives.'
-University of Utah
How do I identify my legislators and contact them?
Pennsylvania Governor's Website
Locate your Pennsylvania State Senator here.
Locate your Pennsylvania House Representative here.
Contact your US Congressperson here.
Contact your US Senators here.
What do I talk about or bring to the meeting?
In addition to the PHSA Public Policy Agenda, our national and state partners create reports, fact sheets and policy statements to assist our shared advocacy efforts. Be sure to visit their website for additional information. If you would like assistance with a tool not listed here, please contact Kara.
Pennsylvania Head Start Association 2023 Fact Sheet
September 2023 Child Care Crisis Survey Fact Sheets
Early Learning PA 2022-2023 Budget Recommendations
ALICE in Focus Report: Children in Pennsylvania
PHSA Public Policy Agenda 2023
The pandemic has caused a disruption for children and families in the state of Pennsylvania. The most vulnerable families who qualify for Head Start and Early Head Start are feeling the greatest impact and are disproportionately affected - experiencing illness, homelessness, and mental health crisis. In most cases Head Start is the primary advocate for the health and wellness of these children and their families.
Head Start and Early Head Start’s is the cornerstone of early childhood education providing comprehensive services for children and families prenatal through age 5. This kind of programming is exactly what these families need to regain stability in their communities in order to move forward successfully. Consequently, it is PHSA’s position that the legislature (federal and state) should provide significant funding increases to Head Start/ Early Head Start programs that will allow them to fully address the pressing needs of all of the children and families we have promised to serve.
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