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
Your Input Sought/Announcements/Of Possible Interest (Washington Update, December 13, 2018)
YOUR INPUT SOUGHT Comments on New Standards for ACA Innovation Waivers (§1332 waivers) – due Dec. 24 On October 22, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the U.S. Department of the Treasury (collectively, the Departments) released new guidance...
CMS Response to Typhoon Yutu (Washington Update, December 13, 2018)
CMS Acts to Help with Typhoon Yutu Emergency Response From the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) The actions will include temporarily waiving or modifying certain Medicare, Medicaid, and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) requirements; creating...
WEBINARS FROM THE FIELD (Washington Update, November 30, 2018)
Medicaid Managed Long-term Services and Supports Programs for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs Tuesday, December 4, 3:00-4:00 pm ET National Academy for State Health Policy Live webcast: Being Seriously Ill in the U.S.: Financial and Healthcare...
CONGRESS (Washington Update, November 30, 2018)
Outlook for the Rest of the Year A partial federal government “shut-down” is in the offing if Congress and the president have not reached an agreement on appropriations by the December 7 expiration date of a “continuing resolution” now funding seven federal...
MEDICAID/CHIP NEWS, INFORMATION, AND RESOURCES (Washington Update, November 30, 2018)
Updates on Core Sets of Children’s and Adults’ Health Quality Measures for Medicaid and CHIP On November 20, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released an informational bulletin that describes the 2019 updates to the core set of children’s health...
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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