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 March 23, 2022
Spring has Sprung! The Cherry Blossom Festival is in full swing. For the next 4 weeks, trees along the tidal basin and throughout the city will be filled with pink blossoms; their petals carried all over the District. The planting of cherry trees in Washington DC...
Washington Update March 16, 2022
Ladies and gentlemen, we have a budget! Late last week, the Senate passed a $1.5 trillion omnibus spending package (text; summary). The 2700 page bill combines 12 appropriations bills and will fund the federal government through the end of its fiscal year in September...
Washington Update March 9, 2022
It wouldn’t be a week in Washington if a deadline with a fiscal cliff wasn’t looming! As both chambers of Congress kick off the March legislative work session this week there is likely to be a lot of roaring as they deal with a March 11 government funding deadline, a...
Washington Update March 3, 2022
“If March comes in like a lion, it will go out like a lamb.” As both chambers of Congress kick off the March legislative work session this week there is likely to be a lot of roaring as they deal with a March 11 government funding deadline, a lengthy list of...
Washington Update February 24, 2022
Congress is on recess this week for the President’s Day work period. The Senate will return on February 28th and the House will return on March 1st. Although they did not finalize a budget before the recess, they did pass a temporary continuing resolution until March...
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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