
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
Congress (Washington Update, November 8, 2018)
Recess Congress is in recess until November 13. You can find town halls and other public events at which your Members of Congress will appear at https://townhallproject.com/. This is a good time to educate Members of Congress about children with special health care...
Medicaid/CHIP News, Information, and Resources (Washington Update, November 8, 2018)
Wisconsin Work-Requirement Waiver Approved On October 31, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approved Wisconsin's waiver request to establish a community-engagement requirement (to work, volunteer, or pursue education) for individuals ages 19 through...
Affordable Care Act (Washington Update, November 8, 2018)
REMEMBER: 2019 Open Enrollment runs from Nov. 1 through Dec. 15, 2018. New Guidance Reinterprets Section 1332 Waivers (Say Ahhh! blog of the Georgetown Center on Children and Families, 11/1/18) – This article explains the recent changes to the criteria that CMS will...
TRICARE (Washington Update, November 8, 2018)
TRICARE Open Season runs from November 12 through December 10. This webinar offers information about it: Open Season is Here! Your Guide to TRICARE Open Season and Federal Benefits Open Season, Thursday, November 15, 1:00 -2:00 ET. Will Your Dentist Scream or Beam...
Other News, Information, and Resources (Washington Update, November 8, 2018)
WORTH REPEATING: State Strategies for Shared Plans of Care to Improve Care Coordination for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (National Academy for State Health Policy, 10/29/18) Proposed rule on immigrant “Public Charge” determinations Please see the...
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.