In recent years, Virginia has made significant strides in enhancing kinship placements within its child welfare system, moving from 5% in 2016 to an impressive 20% in 2022, though still below the national average of 30%. This positive shift can be attributed to various initiatives, such as the establishment of the Kinship Guardianship Assistance Program, a kinship-only TANF financial assistance fund, and comprehensive kin-first guidance from the Virginia Department of Social Services (DSS).  New Legislation: SB 39 and HB 27  This year, two legislators introduced SB 39 by Senator Fav ..read more

Young people were seen and heard all over the General Assembly (GA) this session. The Voices Advocacy & Engagement Team lead our third annual youth advocacy day on January 16. On President’s Day, we were honored to support Pretty Purposed with their third annual advocacy efforts alongside Voices’ 2023 Amplify Award awardees, Elijah and Aaron during the Fund Our Schools Lobby Day.  Virginia’s Youth in Action Advocacy Day  Virginia’s Youth in Action with program staff, Flo, Sophia, and Kristin This year’s members of Virginia’s Youth in Action (VAYA) traveled from different corner ..read more

We are seeking nominations for the 2024 Amplify Awards across the State of Virginia. Past Award Winners We want to amplify the voices of local advocates and organizations through the recognition of their contributions during the 2024 Amplify Awards Ceremony as we kick off the celebration of 30 years of advocacy for Voices for Virginia’s Children on the evening of September 26th, 2024, at Main Street Station in Richmond, Virginia. The honorees will have the opportunity to celebrate their accomplishments in front of a statewide audience of legislative champions and fellow advocates. A committee ..read more

Voices for Virginia’s Children is thrilled to open the application period for our 2024 Summer Communications Internship! Are you (or someone you know) a current college or master’s student (or recent grad) interested in learning more about cause-based communication and marketing strategy and how non-profits tell their story? Does brainstorming creative strategies for social media, fundraising, and stakeholder engagement sound exciting to you? Are you looking for an opportunity to build your professional experience while supporting an outcomes-driven organization that advocates for the well-bei ..read more

For a visual representation of the 2024 Mental Health Budget Priorities, click here! At the start of the 2024 legislative session, we were energized by our lawmaker’s’ commitment to improve the state of mental health in Virginia. As the Commonwealth continues to struggle to meet the mental health needs of its citizens, the $500 million investment from Governor Youngkin into the mental health system was welcomed and exciting, especially due to his specific consideration for young people in the “Right Help, Right Now” Youth Mental Health Strategy.   We are navigating a youth mental hea ..read more

Families have been hit hard by the impact of inflation, the rising costs of utilities, food, and household necessities, and the loss of pandemic-era supports, such as the expanded federal Child Tax Credit, expanded SNAP benefits, and continuous health coverage through Medicaid. The General Assembly has the opportunity this session to invest in families and address the racial and ethnic disparities that exist in economic stability. Both chambers made a critical decision to reject the income tax and sales tax proposals in the Governor’s tax package, which would have done very little for low- and ..read more

As Virginia is still navigating the Medicaid Unwinding process, our legislature and state agencies are approaching Medicaid spending with caution. As Delegate Sickles noted in his budget report for the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Resources, we are experiencing growth in our Medicaid program that was not anticipated when the funding forecast was completed in November. As such, many budgetary requests to add services, expand services, or provide further support to Virginians in our Medicaid program were not included. Despite the cautious approach, the proposed House and ..read more

This winter, the Voices team had the pleasure of engaging in several advocacy days with our partners, coalitions, and community members to increase awareness, uplift critical policy areas pertaining to youth well-being, and to demand a shift in the prioritization of young people during Virginia’s legislative session. As we reflect on the many conversations, workshops, rallies, and legislator visits we organized, supported, or participated in, we’d like to share some of the highlights from those experiences captured by our team in the last two months of session:   Virginia Promise Partners ..read more

Becoming a mother almost six years ago was a transformative experience that reshaped my worldview in profound ways. As I navigate the complexities of raising my children, I’ve discovered invaluable lessons about advocacy that have enriched my work in ways I never anticipated.  This Monday, as I accompanied my son to the Fund Our Schools Advocacy Day, I was struck by the parallels between motherhood and advocacy. President’s Day meant a school holiday, leaving me without child care. So, with my son by my side, I ventured into the halls of the General Assembly building, watching him confid ..read more

On Tuesday, January 23, Voices joined with ChildSavers for our second iteration of Healing for the Healers – an advocacy day event created to uplift policy for youth mental and behavioral health, with the mission of centering the stories and experiences of providers and healers in the community. This recap includes quotes and stories from advocates, provided anonymously with permission to share.  Advocates pose together in the foyer of the General Assembly Building This year, we encouraged registrants to expand whom they consider to be “healers” to include parents, caregivers, teachers ..read more