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
Family Separations at the Border
As explained in last week’s Update, the president issued an Executive Order on June 20 to end the practice of separating children and their families when they enter the U.S. See The Executive Order Trump Claims Will End Family Separation, Explained (Vox, 6/21/18). The...
White House Proposed Government Reorganization
Last week the White House announced a plan to reorganize several departments of the federal government. See the White House fact sheet. Under the proposal, the Departments of Education and Labor would be merged into a single Department of Education and the Workforce....
Week of 6/27/2018 Upcoming Webinars and Calls in the Field
UPCOMING WEBINARS AND CALLS Estate Planning for Special Needs Wednesday, June 27, 12:00-1:15 ET The Parents’ Place of Maryland (Maryland Family-to-Family Health Information Center) Ticket to Work: Support on Your Journey to Financial Independence Wednesday, June 27,...
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