The Children's Center Presents: Anti-Bullying and Conflict Resolution Dialogue

The Children's Center Presents...

May 8th Advocacy Day - We Went, We Met, We Advocated

Bright and early on May 8th sixty of us representing The Children's Center boarded the bus headed to Lansing.  Upon arrival, we divided into teams according to the issue for which we were advocating.  Our Blue Team, led by George Winn, TCC COO and Deborah Mathews, TCC CEO,  shared with legislators the importance of supporting the Governor's recommendation to expand early childhood education funding by 2% on the state level to partially off set the decrease of over 5% in funding on the federal level.

TCC Advocates Arriving at the Capitol Building

The day was busy and intense as we met with Senator Pavlov's, Representative Lund's, Representative Roger's, and Representative Franz's respective staffs as well as Senator Coleman Young II.  We were received warmly by all and left each office with a great sense of having made a difference!

TCC Advocates in the Rotunda

Some of TCC's advocates brought their children to see advocacy and government first hand.  Planting the seeds of advocacy in the next generation - yes, You Can Do It!

Young Advocates in front of the Governor's Office

We also participated in the Walk a Mile in My Shoes Rally on the Capitol lawn.  The rally's purpose was to celebrate May as Mental Health Awareness Month; educate legislators about mental health issues; strive to end the stigma of mental illness; promote parity between mental health and physical health insurance coverage; and, promote mental health wellness.

On the Capitol lawn for the Rally

At the end of the day, sixty tired but satisfied TCC advocates boarded the bus for home already planning for next time.

The Children’s Center presents

Advocacy Day

May 8, 2013

Child & Family Issues, Children’s Mental Health, Foster Care Awareness

Help erase stigma and give voice to the issues facing children & families living with mental illness; emotional, behavioral, or developmental disorders; trauma, and within the foster care system.

Child & Family Advocates will meet with State legislators in Lansing to engage in advocacy related dialogue and raise awareness about the issues

•        HealthCare Reform & Behavioral Health Parity
•         Medicaid Expansion
•         Expanding Funding for Early Childhood Education
•         Mental Health Services and K-12 Partnerships
•         Funding Equity for Foster Care Services

Who Should Attend?  Child & Family Advocates, Foster Care Families, Social Workers, Children’s Mental Health Consumers, Community Partners, Schools and Educators.

Advocacy Day Sample Itinerary:

Morning:		Afternoon:
7:15 AM	Departure (Detroit)	11:45 AM	Lunch &  Keynote Speaker
9:00 AM	Legislative Meetings & Committee Hearings	1:30 PM	House Session
10:00 AM	Senate Session & Committee Hearings	2:30 PM	Legislative Meetings
11:00 AM	Legislative Meetings & Committee Hearings	3:15 PM	Departure (Lansing)

Registration:  Click here to RSVP by April 22, 2013.

Send questions to Clarence Gayles: Cgayles@childrensctr.net or 313.969.5696.

The Children’s Center’s Guiding Principles

• Behavioral health is an important part of a child’s total physical health diagnosis.
• Behavioral health treatment should be treated equally within the law.
• All children reserve the right to be treated fairly; to have all of their health care, educational, recreational, and basic personal needs met; and, to have the ability to shape their own futures.