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
The Administration: Reunification of Immigrant Families (Updated) (Washington Update July 25, 2018)
As reported in last week’s Update a federal court ordered that children under age five be reunited with their families by July 10, and that all other children be reunited with their families by July 26. The administration did not meet the first deadline; only about...
Congress: Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) Legislation Ready for President’s Signature (Washington Update July 25, 2018)
On July 17, the Senate approved a House-passed bill to delay for one year (until January 1, 2020) the implementation of a requirement that Medicaid agencies adopt “electronic visit verification” (EVV) for personal care services provided at an individual’s home. The...
Congress: House Passes Several Health Bills (Washington Update July 25, 2018)
As reported by the House Energy and Commerce Committee, the House passed several bipartisan health-related bills this week: The Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act (R. 1676), which would direct HHS to award grants to improve the training of...
Congress: “Medicare-for-All” Caucus Launched in House (Washington Update July 25, 2018)
On July 20, House Democrats launched a "Medicare-for-All" congressional caucus with the intention of educating other lawmakers and staff on the basics of a government-run, single-payer health care system, and of examining how other such systems operate in other...
Guidance on Medicaid Provider Directories (Washington Update July 25, 2018)
On July 17, the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services issued a State Medicaid Directors letter (SMD # 18-007) setting forth detailed directions to states for implementing the requirements of Section 5006 of the 21st Century Cures Act (Cures Act). Section 5006 of 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.
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