policy and advocacy
Fulfilling Our Commitment Through Advocacy
In order to do our utmost for children and families with the greatest need, we often advocate on behalf of their interests by issuing public comments on important education or healthcare issues.
SPAN leadership may offer comments on behalf of SPAN, or as part of SPAN’s membership in National PLACE.
SPAN Comments on Policy Issues
- SPAN Legislative Comments on the Children’s System of Care (Human Services & Health/Mental Health)
- SPAN Comments on the NJ Medicaid Autism Benefit (Health)
- SPAN Comments on the Proposed Community Care Waiver Waiting List Procedures 2019 (Human Services)
- SPAN Comments on the NJCDD Strategic Plan 2021 (Human Services)
- SPAN Comments on COVID Recovery to Joint Commission on the Public Schools (Education)
- SPAN Comments on NJ DOE ARP ESSERS Funds Plan (Education)
- SPAN Applauds Congress for Introducing Keeping All Students Safe Act (Education)
- SPAN Comments on Student Disciplinary Action Reporting (Education)
- SPAN Comments on Programs to Support Student Development Code 2021 (Education)
- SPAN-FVNJ Comments on NJ Child Care Block Grant Plan 2021 (Early Childhood/Human Services)
- SPAN Comments on the passage of the FAMILY Act and the Healthy Families Act
- SPAN Comments on Family And Medical Insurance Leave (Health)
- SPAN Comments on Preserving Eligible Families’ Health Care (Health and Human Services)
- SPAN Comments on Proposals to Cut Medicaid Funding
- SPAN Comments to Washington, DC on Proposals to Cut Medicaid Funding
- SPAN Comments on Title VI School Discipline Guidance
- 118th Congress LTBA Sign On (May 2023)
- Coalition Letter of Support for PREEMIE 2023 (May 2023)
- Child-focused Comment on DACA Health Care Rule (June 2023)
- Child Health Organizations comments Medicaid Access Rules (July 2023)
SPAN and National PLACE Comments on National Policy
- National PLACE Comments on State & Local Report Cards (Education)
- SPAN Comments on US ED Policy Priorities 2021 (Education)
- SPAN-FVNJ Comments on Methods & Practices to Advance Equity (Equity)
- SPAN-FVNJ Comments on Nondiscriination in School Discipline (Education)
- SPAN-FVNJ Comments on National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Plan (Health & Human Services)
- SPAN-FVNJ Comments on CMS Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters (Health)
- SPAN-FVNJ Comments on Immigrants & Public Charge Rule 2021 (Human Services/Immigrant)
- National PLACE Comments on US ED IEP Guidance 2021 (Education)
- National PLACE Comments on US HHS Strategic Plan 2021 (Health & Human Services)
- National PLACE Comments on Maintenance of Equity under ARP 2021 (Education)
- National PLACE Comments on the (Immigrant) Public Charge Rule 2021 (Human Services)
- National PLACE Comments on US ED Secretary Priorities 2021 (Education)
- National PLACE Comments on Institute of Education Sciences Priorities (Education)
- National PLACE Comments on Nondiscrimination in Discipline 2021 (Education)
- National PLACE Comments on MCHB Strategic Plan 12-2020 (Health)
- National PLACE Comments on the Role of Non-Lawyer Advocates at IEP Meetings and Mediation Conferences 11-2020 (Education)
- National PLACE Comments on Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) Request for Information (RFI) on A Blueprint for Change: Guiding Principles for Advancing the System of Services for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs and Families 11-2020 (Health)
- National PLACE Comments on Proposed Requirements -The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Paperwork Reduction Waivers 8-2020 (Education)
- National PLACE Comments on US ED OSERS Information Collection on Proposed Revisions Part B SPP/APR State Performance Plan and Annual Performance Report 8-2020 (Education)
- National PLACE Comments on US ED OSERS Information Collection on Proposed Revisions Part C SPP/APR State Performance Plan and Annual Performance Report 8-2020 (Education)
- National PLACE Comments on US ED Disproportionality Data Collection 11-2019 (Education)
- National PLACE Comments on ESSA Accountability
Recent Uploads
- National PLACE Comments to US ED on Accountability under the Every Student Succeeds Act (2022)
- National PLACE Comments to the Institute for Education Sciences’ proposed study on the implementation and impact of Statewide Family Engagement Centers (2022)
- National PLACE Comments to the US ED Office for Civil Rights on the Civil Rights Data Collection (2022)
- National PLACE Comments to the US Department of Health and Human Services on proposed revisions to F2F data collection and reporting (2022)
- National PLACE Comments to US Citizenship and Immigration Services on Proposed Rule on Immigrants and “Public Charge” (2022)
- National PLACE Comments to the Internal Revenue Services on the Affordability of Employer Coverage for Family Members of Employees under the Affordable Care Act (Fixing the “Family Glitch”) (2022)
- National PLACE Comments to the US Department of Education on Proposed Revisions to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (2022)
- National PLACE Statement on US ED Office for Civil Rights and Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services Discipline Guidance and Recommendations for Implementation Tools (2022)
- National PLACE Comments to US ED Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development on the Mandatory Civil Rights Data Collection (2022)
- National PLACE Comments to US ED Office of Special Education Programs’ on “suggestions for improvements and innovative solutions” to the current Results Driven Accountability (RDA) system, with particular regard to issues of equity (2022)
- National PLACE Comments to the US ED Office of English Language Acquisition on the Use of Interpreters and Translators in Educational Settings (2023)
- National PLACE Comments to US DHHS SAMHSA on Proposed Peer Certification Standards (2023)
- National PLACE Letter to the US House of Representatives Opposing HR5 “Parents’ Bill of Rights” and Supporting House Resolution 219 “Bill of Rights for Parents and Students” (2023)
- National PLACE Comments to US ED OSERS on Proposed TA Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (2023)
- SPAN signed onto the letter from the Immunocompromised
Collaborative, which consists of patient organizations representing the approximately 7 million Americans who are immunocompromised, in support of the PREVENT Pandemics Act. This legislation is intended to ensure that our nation is well prepared for further evolutions of COVID-19 and for future pandemics. Read the letter.
- SPAN signs on with 127 gender justice, survivor advocacy, and civil rights organizations to urge immediate action to finalize the Department of Education’s (the Department’s) Title IX Rule (October 2023)
- CHIP Perm Sign On (Nov 2023)
- National Partnership FAMILY Act endorsements 11.07.23
- Group Letter to POTUS November 2023
- SPAN and Family Voices NJ comments on CMS payment parameters 2025 Jan. 2024
- Letter Re Narrowing Medicare Custody Definition from 68 Advocacy Organizations 1.18.24
- Coalition letter in support of PREEMIE and PMDA 01-17-24
- CTAN-Asylum-Letter-2-1
- AARP Sign On Letter Urges YES on A4049 S3495 Presumptive Eligibility for Home and Community Based Services
- SPAN and Family Voices NJ comments on Workability January 2024
- Enforcement of State Compliance with Reporting and Federal Medicaid Renewal Requirements under the Social Security Act February 2024
2024
- SPAN Parent Advocacy Network & Family Voices-New Jersey comments to the National Institutes of Health on Co-Occurring Conditions in Autism (2/13/24
- SPAN Parent Advocacy Network & Family Voices-New Jersey comments to the Department of Justice on the Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability; Accessibility of Medical Diagnostic Equipment of State and Local Government Entities (2/12/24)
- Letter to Senate from National State and Local Organizations Do Not Weaken CTC in Tax Package (2.26.24)
- Justice for Nex Benedict Letter (2/28/24) and Sample social media posts – Justice for Nex Benedict
- Title IX Letter (2024.March.15)
- HHS OCR funding letter_Congress FY25 (March 2024)
- NGO letter to WH re ICE detention 4.24.24
- UnidosUS_Title III_FY25_Sign On (April 2024)
- OMH RFI universal symbol sign on letter May 2024 FINAL
- Letter Ensuring Continued Timely Access to COVID-19 Vaccines [8] May 2024
- Leadership Conference Letter to President Biden on DEIA July 1, 2024
Peg Kinsell
Institutional Policy Director
Tel: 201-724-4454
Email: pkinsell@spanadvocacy.org