Get Involved
Advocacy Training
Do you want to share your story and partner with healthcare providers effectively?
The AFE Foundation is proud to be a founding member of MoMMA’s Voices, a coalition of maternal health patient advocacy groups working together to make childbirth safer. They look at issues such as:
- Quality and consistency of healthcare delivery
- Patient-provider communications
- Racial disparities,
- Inadequate research funding
AFE Advocates
MoMMA’s Voices has created training for patient and family partners interested in becoming an advocate. This training offers courses in:
- Advocate Readiness
- Effective Storytelling
- How to Create a Professional Presence
- What is Quality Improvement in Maternal Health
- What are Perinatal Quality Collaboratives (PQCs)
- What are AIM Patient Safety Bundles
Take the first step to becoming a Certified Patient Family Partner!
The training is free for all community members of the AFE Foundation.
State Proclamations
What are Proclamations?
A proclamation is an official declaration issued by a Governor to recognize and commemorate a significant event or cause, such as AFE Awareness Day. It brings attention to an important issue, cause, or event that holds relevance for the state, celebrating its significance. While proclamations are a meaningful way to acknowledge these topics, they are not legally binding and do not carry the force of law. Instead, they act as a symbolic gesture of recognition and appreciation.
How do Proclamations Help the Cause?
Proclamations are an effective way to engage in advocacy, particularly when it comes to raising awareness about AFE and maternal mortality and morbidity. These official declarations can help attract attention at the state level, shedding light on critical issues that often go unnoticed. Proclamations can also lead to media coverage, provide opportunities for in-person meetings with the Governor during the signing ceremony, and even spark new campaigns aimed at mandating AFE education. By leveraging proclamations, advocates can amplify their impact and drive meaningful change in both public awareness and policy.
What do I need to know?
Not every state offers proclamations. Even if a state allows the submission of a proclamation, it does not guarantee the Governor will approve it. Sometimes their office can be too overwhelmed with requests, or they have certain rules that disqualify you from submitting the request. Requests for proclamations are not renewed annually and must be submitted each year. The delivery of proclamations varies. Sometimes you can receive them a few weeks before AFE Awareness Day, and sometimes you won’t receive them until the day of. Our advice is to stay pesky and continue to ask the office when you can expect to receive the proclamation. Many states require the proclamation to be submitted anywhere from 2 weeks to several months in advance.
How do I submit a proclamation?
- Watch our informative proclamation video.
- Check out this spreadsheet for information on where to submit your proclamation for your state, and what the deadline for submission is. You can also check the second tab to see if your state has already been submitted to avoid duplications.
- Download the template for “whereas” verbiage here. You can edit your state as needed. Google your state’s most recent maternal mortality rate and add it to the template. This site may be helpful, but check if there is more up-to-date information.
- The title should be Amniotic Fluid Embolism Awareness Day.
- Date: March 27, 2025.
- Stay pesky! Email or call the office to confirm they received your request. Check back in as we get closer to March to see when you can expect to receive the proclamation.
- Please email Emily (emily@afesupport.org) once you have the proclamation or for questions. We would love to highlight you on social media for AFE Awareness Day!
Advocacy In Action
Historic Bill Mandates AFE Education in Connecticut
Connecticut has passed a groundbreaking bill requiring the development and statewide distribution of educational materials on amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) for healthcare professionals and medical institutions. Championed by AFE survivor Patricia Shea and supported by heartfelt survivor testimonies, this bipartisan effort ensures greater awareness and understanding of AFE, marking a significant step forward in maternal health advocacy.
Help us #endAFE!
The AFE Foundation is funded by donations. Every dollar goes toward our support, research, and education programs. We are committed to turning donations into action, including yours.