2024 POLICY PRIORITIES

Advance legislation

• Implement plans of safe care for newborns and pregnant/postpartum people affected by substance use disorder and remove punitive policies that negatively affect families
• Create programs to ensure access to all contraception and other basic sexual and reproductive health services for Illinoisans regardless of their immigration status
• Ban short-term limited-duration health insurance plans in Illinois.
• Extend paid family leave for all Illinoisans
• Expand affordable access to the material needs of families with infants, especially diapers
• Expand the Healthy Illinois program to provide coverage for all Illinoisans regardless of immigration status

Engage in administrative advocacy to:

• Monitor implementation and expand availability of doula care and home visiting services through Medicaid
• Monitor implementation and provide care recommendations for postpartum Medicaid coverage
• Ensure that all over-the-counter contraceptive methods are covered without cost-sharing by Medicaid and private insurance in Illinois
• Increase enrollment of Illinoisans in the WIC program
• Monitor challenges associated with the public health emergency unwinding, especially for pregnant/postpartum people and infants enrolled in Medicaid
• Engage in the extension and implementation of the Illinois Behavioral Health Transformation 1115 waiver as it relates to pregnant/postpartum people and infants
• Introduce and advance policies to improve access to quality obstetric care in areas with low or no access to hospitals/birth centers offering obstetric care or obstetric providers

Build understanding among lawmakers, agencies, and other decision-makers

• Establishing a statewide system of newborn supports and services; a coordinated system and new standard of care for how newborns are welcomed in IL