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
MACPAC Report on Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (Washington Update July 25, 2018)
The congressionally-created Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC), just completed an issue brief -- Access in Brief: Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs—which compares the characteristics of children and youth with special health care...
Your Input Sought/Of Possible Interest (Washington Update July 25, 2018)
YOUR INPUT SOUGHT NEW CMS Tribal LTSS Program Survey This survey is being conducted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to help them develop a list of tribally operated long-term services and supports (LTSS) programs across Indian Country. The...
July is National Minority Mental Health Month
July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. Join a Twitter chat on July 18, 2-3:00 pm ET
Healthcare Decisions Issued by SCOTUS Nominee Brett Kavanaugh (Washington Update, July 18, 2018)
Here are some analyses of healthcare decisions issued by Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh: Kavanaugh Pick Could Affect Future of Obamacare, Medicaid Work Requirements (Modern Healthcare, 7/10/18) Examining Supreme Court Nominee Kavanaugh’s Health Care Opinions...
Reunification of Immigrant Families (Washington Update, July 18, 2018)
As reported in earlier Updates, the president instituted a policy of separating immigrant children and parents when they enter the US at the southern border in order to deter people from trying to enter the country illegally. The children were put into the custody of...
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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