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: White House Proposed Government Reorganization
As reported in last week’s Update, the White House has revealed a plan to reorganize and merge several departments of the federal government. See the White House Fact Sheet. Not mentioned last week: part of this reorganization plan would be to reduce the Public Health...
Congress: Immigration Legislation
On June 27 the House voted on immigration legislation that would have provided funding for a border wall, addressed the separation of immigrant families, and provided a path to citizenship for the so-called DREAMers (young adults who were brought to the country...
Congress: Opioid Legislation
On June 21, the House approved the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment or for Patients and Communities Act – or SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act (H.R. 6) – which consolidated multiple previously passed bills. See...
Congress: Maternal and Child Health Legislation
On June 26, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) approved two bills intended to improve maternal and child health. The Maternal Health Accountability Act (S. 1112) would establish a new grant program administered by CDC to provide...
Congress: FY 2019 Appropriations
Update: The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education approved its version of the bill to fund those agencies in FY 2019, and the full committee approved the bill the next day. (See the committee report.) As reported in last week’s Update, 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.
Encourage confidence to act