Advocating for equitable policies is one part of our Strategic Direction, which means PEPS will show up for families by taking action on policies that impact equity in our region. We are embracing our responsibility to leverage the large community of parents in our network and will engage with issues and policies that affect parents and babies. We hope our community will join us in supporting policies that will help families in Washington thrive!
To learn more about our advocacy priorities mentioned below, please visit our advocacy webpage.
TAKE ACTION!
- FUND DIAPER SUBSIDIES AT $100 PER MONTH: Both the WA State House and Senate have funded diaper subsidies for families with children under 3 years old who are receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) in their legislative budgets. The House currently has diaper subsidies funded at $50 per month while the Senate has diaper subsidies funded at $100 per month. A $100 per month subsidy will go further to help low-income families pay for diapers!
- FUND PERINATAL SUPPORT WA’S WARM LINE: Both the House and Senate included $500,000 for Perinatal Support WA to expand their Warm Line to provide needed mental health support to more families. Funding this Warm Line will help more parents access mental health support when they need it!
The Washington State Legislature has just over a week to wrap up their legislative session and finalize the state’s supplemental budget. We hope you will join us in asking your legislators to include our advocacy priorities in their final budget!
HOW TO CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS:
Step 1: Find your legislative district by entering your home address.
Step 2: Click the names of each of your State District Legislators then click “Email” to send them a message.
Step 3: Enter your address again to verify your legislative district.
Step 4: Enter your contact information.
Step 5: Copy and paste this subject line: “Fund Diaper Subsidies and Perinatal Support WA’s Warm Line”
Step 6: Enter your message, select whether you would like a response from your legislator, then click “Submit Form.” You can copy and paste the message below or write your own! Feel free to customize the text below as you see fit and share personal stories as appropriate.
Dear (LEGISLATOR NAME),
I’m writing today in strong support of diaper subsidies and perinatal mental health support. Both are policy priorities of PEPS, which connects new parents through parent peer-support groups.
The diaper subsidy is essential for families who cannot afford to pay for diapers. Babies and toddlers use a lot of diapers each day and they’re only getting more expensive! Please advocate for the Senate budget’s $100 monthly diaper subsidy for families receiving TANF with children under 3. This level will provide the best opportunity for parents to cover the cost of diapering their little ones.
Perinatal mental health support is crucial for new and expectant parents. Perinatal Support WA runs an effective Warm Line to help connect people with peer support and resources. Financial support will help expand this important resource to reach more underserved communities. Please support this funding in the final budget!
Thank you for your support of families!
Thank you for joining PEPS in supporting these important budget priorities! Spread the word to your friends and family to contact their legislators to increase our impact. Questions? Email us at peps@peps.org.