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 May 29, 2019
Congress is currently taking its Memorial Day recess to visit with constituents at home. Before they left town, however, there was lots of activity in the Capitol. Bipartisan bills were introduced in both the House and Senate to extend funding for Family-to-Family...
Bipartisan House and Senate Bills Introduced to Extend F2F Funding
Representatives Mikie (Michelle) Sherrill (D-NJ) and Fred Upton (R-MI) introduced the Family-to-Family Reauthorization Act of 2019 (H.R. 2822), which will extend funding for Family-to-Family Health Information Centers (F2Fs) for an additional five years, through...
Webinars from the Field (Washington Update, April 3, 2019)
Disparities in Genetic Services & Privacy Tuesday, April 9, 12:00-1:00 pm ET National Society of Genetic Counselors The InCK (Federal Integrated Care for Kids) Model and Prevention Tuesday, April 9, 2:00-3:15 pm ET InCK Marks Network Pursuing Health Equity: Start...
The Courts (Washington Update, April 3, 2019)
In the past couple weeks, there have been significant developments in the healthcare legal sphere. One federal district court invalidated the administration’s approval of waivers that would have permitted Kentucky and Arkansas to establish Medicaid work requirements....
Congress (Washington Update, April 3, 2019)
House-Passed Medicaid Bill Includes ACE Kids Act; Additional MFP Funds On March 25, the House passed the Medicaid Services Investment and Accountability Act of 2019 (H.R.1839). The bill, which has been transmitted to the Senate, includes an updated version of the ACE...
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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