NAPNAP Health Policy Agenda 2011

NAPNAP Health Policy Agenda 2011

 

The guiding principles of NAPNAP’s health policy agenda are:

• All children should have access to comprehensive, continuous, family-centered coordinated, compassionate, and culturally sensitive care, including mental health services, to promotes healthy lifestyles. 
• Barriers should be removed that impede patient access to pediatric nurse practitioner practice in all health care settings.  
• Increased commitment to national and grassroots advocacy by NAPNAP membership is essential and should be supported by providing learning opportunities for members to support their development as advocates.

NAPNAP’s Health Policy Committee has identified the following goals for focused advocacy and strategic partnerships to support NAPNAP’s mission and respond to important health policy issues:

Goal #1 Improve child health through support and advocacy on the following issues:

• Prevent childhood overweight and obesity through policies to promote healthy nutrition and physical activity levels.
• Raise awareness of childhood mental health and emotional problems and advocate for increased access to mental health services. 
• Increase awareness of the benefits of breastfeeding.
• Increase childhood immunization rates through improved access and education.
• Promote oral health, dental caries screening and access to comprehensive dental health services.
• Increase awareness of pediatric pain management issues.
• Encourage development of comprehensive quality health indicators focused on the care of children and families.

 

Goal #2 Improve access to care for all children through support and advocacy on the following issues:

 

• Advocate for the removal of insurance industry barriers that prevent families from obtaining child health insurance coverage.
• Support full funding of Medicaid and CHIP programs.
• Promote access to comprehensive primary care services for all adolescents and young adults.

Goal #3 Promote access to Nurse Practitioners through support and direct advocacy on the following issues:

• Recognizing nurse practitioners as leaders of medical homes.
• Promoting increased funding for advanced practice registered nurse education and development of faculty.
• Expanding coverage and reimbursement by governmental and commercial payers for services provided by nurse practitioners.
• Ensuring nurse practitioners are permitted to participate in any federal grant programs aimed at increasing the use of health information technology and electronic medical records.
• Promoting access to a pediatric primary care provider such as a nurse practitioner or a physician for all children.

 

Approved by the NAPNAP Executive Board on January 11, 2011