Public Policy
Policy Priorities to Support Children with Special Health Care Needs and Disabilities and Their Families
Our Strategic Policy Priorities
Children and youth with special health care needs and disabilities, and their families, face systemic barriers and biases that impede their ability to experience their best possible lives. Systems of care do not respond to their needs holistically or facilitate access to supports that enhance their quality of life.
To make the most impact, we focus our policy actions across all levels of government – federal, state, and local. We work with our family and organizational partners to lean on the various levers of policy change through education and advocacy.
Our current policy agenda includes:
- Expand access to peer-to-peer support for families of children and youth with special health care needs
- Support and expand Medicaid coverage for children and youth with special health care needs and their families and caregivers
- Improve the transition to adult health care for youth and young adults with disabilities and their caregivers and families
- Eliminate language access barriers
Family Voices collaborates with national child health and disability organizations, such as the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities, The Arc, Autism Speaks, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and other groups.
Recent Policy Briefs
Recent Policy-Related News
Washington Update January 30, 2023
Things are picking up steam in DC! The proposed calendars for when the Senate and House of Representatives are in session are available. Committee assignments will be finalized this week. Here are the links for the committees of jurisdiction for the F2F program: The...
Washington Update January 11, 2023
On January 3rd, the 118th Congress began its session. The House of Representatives will be controlled by the Republicans, who have 222 seats. The House Minority Leader will be Representative Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY-8), and the Speaker of the House will be Representative...
Washington Update December 21, 2022
We have a draft Omnibus bill… and 3 days to pass it! The continuing resolution to fund the government ends on December 23rd, so Congress has until midnight on that day to either pass this bill or another continuing resolution to avoid the government shutdown.4,155...
Washington Update December 9, 2022
Talks on a year-end government funding package continue among leadership. As it currently stands, the "four corners" (meaning the democratic and Republican leaders of the committee in each house of congress) leaders of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees...
Washington Update December 6, 2022
This week preventing a strike of railway workers is demanding the attention of Congress but rest assured legislators have not lost sight of the December 16th deadline for the budget. Will there be an end of the year omnibus bill that sets the budget? Will be robust...
Legislation
The legislation tracked below is for informational purposes only. It is not meant to be an endorsement for or against the legislation. Action updates may occur daily, if actions are taken by Congress. Newly introduced legislation will be added weekly.
The legislative tracker is sorted by latest action. To navigate this page, you can scroll through just as you would a normal webpage. You can also click Ctrl+F on your keyboard and type in the search box.
For additional information and to read the full text (if available), click the highlighted bill number. You can also navigate to Congress.gov and search using key terms or phrases, or the bill numbers listed below.
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