Legislative Advocacy
While similar to systemic advocacy, Legislative Advocacy may involve a more direct approach through lobbying or working alongside legislators. The opportunity may arise for you to introduce new bills or support other bills that may impact your cause.
"Pregnancy-related deaths occur more in Georgia than most states. How experts aim to change that"
"I'm glad we're focused on the maternal mortality rates, we actually are not putting enough emphasis also on mothers who are left with lifelong conditions as a result of a maternal health crisis," Marsden said.
"I really don't want another mother to have to experience what me and my children have experienced," she said. "... I know we can't prevent 100%. But we can prevent a lot of this."
by The Augusta Chronicle
"Georgia to require investigations into deaths of pregnant, postpartum women"
"Tina Marie Marsden is a patient advocate and member of the Metro Atlanta American Heart Association Advocacy Team who testified before lawmakers about her own close call during pregnancy. Marsden said that when she was four months pregnant with her second child, she was diagnosed with postpartum cardiomyopathy, a rare heart condition."
"Early warning signs during and after pregnancy were missed in my case,” said Marsden. “Pregnancy related complications including high blood pressure, blood clots, cardiovascular disease, stroke and other heart problems like cardiomyopathy may not surface until weeks or months after delivery.”
by Fresh Take Georgia
"Support grows at Statehouse for extended Medicaid coverage for new moms"
"Maternal health is extremely important. We are losing too many women,” said Marsden, who is now a patient advocate with the American Heart Association. “Extending this to a year and being able to provide that coverage for women is going to have a great impact not just on that individual, but on that family, which is going to have an impact on that community.”
by Georgia Recorder