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
Medicaid/CHIP News, Information, and Resources (Washington Update, January 30, 2019)
MEDICAID WAIVERS CMS Approves Arizona’s Medicaid Community Engagement Demonstration Amendment (CMS press release, 1/18/19). See CMS approves 8th state for Medicaid work requirement (Healthcare Dive, 1/22/19). WORTH REPEATING: Tennessee proposes to amend its...
Affordable Care Act (Washington Update, January 30, 2019)
OPEN ENROLLMENT The only jurisdictions that are still open for insurance-coverage enrollment are New York and the District of Columbia. In both, the enrollment period ends on January 31. NOTICE OF BENEFIT AND PAYMENT PARAMETERS (NBPP) On January 17, the Department of...
TRICARE (Washington Update, January 30, 2019)
Learn More about Your Benefit with 2019 TRICARE Resources Jan. 22, 2019 Save Money at the Pharmacy: Understanding TRICARE Prescription Drug Types Jan. 16, 2019 WORTH REPEATING: Government Shutdown: Some Allotment Payments Affected The partial government shutdown...
Other News, Information, and Resources (Washington Update, January 30, 2019)
From the Administration on Community Living (ACL): Learn more about ACL's Business Acumen Initiative. Medicaid, Medicare, Accountable Care Organizations, private insurers, and other private pay models offer opportunities for community-based organizations to tap into...
Your Input Sought/Of Possible Interest (Washington Update, January 30, 2019)
YOUR INPUT SOUGHT NEW Pain Management Task Force Draft Report – Due April 1, 2019 The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016 (CARA), requires that the public be given at least ninety (90) days to submit comments on any proposed updates and recommendations...
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.
Encourage confidence to act