Our Children, Our Future Wraps Up Two-Day Symposium

The Our Children Our Future campaign wrapped up a two day symposium by taking over the West Virginia House of Delegates chamber. 

The final session of the symposium asked participants to act as delegates and advocate for the issues they want to see the legislature take up next year.

From funding for substance abuse treatment programs to expanding Medicaid to cover children’s mental health issues, advocates gave impassioned speeches about the issues they presented during forums for the symposium.

House Speaker Tim Miley opened the mock session by saying the group’s previous success is not because of the dollars they have to spend like some other groups, but because they show up in Charleston, in large numbers, to talk to their delegates and senators face to face about the issue that matter most to them.

“We need to continue to change the mindset of folks down here in Charleston to invest on the front end of things so you can save so much more on the back end,” he said.

In the fall, members of the Our Children, Our Future campaign will vote on the top ten issues they want to see the group present to the legislature in 2015. The group has successfully advocated for 14 bills that have passed the legislature since it formed two years ago.