
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-Related News
Your Input Sought/Announcements/Of Possible Interest (Washington Update, November 16, 2018)
Your Input Sought Nominations Sought for Federal Family Caregiving Advisory Council – due Dec. 3 The Secretary of Health & Human Services (HHS) has posted a Notice requesting nominations for individuals to serve on the Family Caregiving Advisory Council, which was...
CMS Response to Typhoon Yutu (Washington Update, November 8, 2018)
CMS Acts to Help with Typhoon Yutu Emergency Response From the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Agency waivers to take effect in the Northern Mariana Islands The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today announced that the agency has...
Resources for Open Enrollment (Washington Update, November 8, 2018)
2019 Open Enrollment Runs from November 1 through December 15, 2018 Plans sold during Open Enrollment start January 1, 2019. After December 15, consumers can enroll in 2019 health insurance only if they qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. Federal Health Insurance...
Webinars from the Field (Washington Update, November 8, 2018)
It Takes a Village (about addressing Utah's Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders’ high rates of infant mortality) Thursday, November 8, 11:00 am ET Utah Office of Health Disparities Maternal Opioid Misuse (MOM) Model - Overview Thursday, November 8, 12:00-1:00 pm ET...
Elections (Washington Update, November 8, 2018)
U.S. House of Representatives: The House “flipped” from a Republican to a Democratic majority. The Democrats needed to gain 23 seats; they gained 27. The total count is not yet in, but the Democrats will have at least 220 seats and the Republicans 195. (218 is a...
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.