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 14, 2021
The major issues covered in this Update are: Enactment of the COVID-relief and FY 2021 appropriations bill Medicaid news, including: Extension of the Public Health Emergency (PHE) and consequent extension of the enhanced federal match, maintenance-of-effort...
Washington Update December 15 2020
The big issues in DC right now are: FDA authorization for emergency use of coronavirus vaccines – On Thursday, an FDA advisory committee recommended that the FDA grant “emergency use authorization” (EUA) of the vaccine developed by Pfizer for individuals age 16 and...
Washington Update, October 30, 2020
Greetings from Washington, DC In this Update: The administration has issued an interim final rule weakening the “Maintenance of Effort” requirement that states must meet to receive an enhanced Medicaid match during the COVID Public Health Emergency. States may now...
Washington Update, October 21, 2020
Greetings from Washington, DC In this Update: The prospects for legislation to address the pandemic’s financial impact are very dim. The Senate is expected to vote on Monday to confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. The Maternal and Child Health Bureau...
Washington Update, October 9, 2020
The prospects for legislation to address the pandemic’s financial impact are very unclear at the moment, but it is still within the realm of possibility that an agreement will be reached before the election. Hearings begin next week on the nomination of Judge Amy...
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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