As we enter 2025, we are not only marking the start of a new year, but also the beginning of a new Council Period in the District of Columbia – Council Period 26. This new Council Period opens the door to new legislative priorities, with elected officials setting the course for the next two years.
For Children’s National Government Affairs, this means engaging with members of the Council of the District of Columbia (“DC Council”) and ensuring that children’s healthcare remains a top priority. Whether it’s advocating for policies that improve access to care or supporting broader initiatives that address our community health needs, Children’s National remains the leading voice that elected officials rely on when it comes to pediatric health.
In the coming months, the DC Council will hold its annual agency performance and budget oversight hearings, offering a critical opportunity for us to ensure that the needs of children and families remain at the forefront of the city’s policy priorities. These hearings are an essential part of the legislative process, where agencies present their performance data from the current fiscal year and funding requests for the upcoming fiscal year. For advocates and organizations such as Children’s National, this is a key time to present our priorities and make the case for continued and expanded support for critical pediatric services.
As part of our advocacy efforts, Children’s National will advocate for the following key initiatives:
- Improving Medicaid Coverage: Medicaid plays an essential role in ensuring that children, especially those from low-income families, have access to necessary health care services. Improving Medicaid reimbursement and coverage for various clinical areas including genetic testing is critically important to improving access to care. Additionally, we will advocate for implementing community health programs with local funding from FY 2025 District of Columbia Budget Support Act of 2024.
- Strengthening the Behavioral Health Continuum of Care: Building on the progress from Council Period 25, we will continue to advocate for strengthening the behavioral health system of care, including exploring models and solutions that the District may consider in addressing the gaps in the system. Additionally, we will support the funding and implementation of B25-0759 the Child Behavioral Health Dashboard Act of 2024.
- Expanding Access to Universal School Meals: We will continue to push for universal school meals so that every child, regardless of their family’s income, can receive nutritious meals during the school day. While legislation was introduced in Council Period 25, the fight still continues for the passage of this legislation. Access to healthy food is essential for academic performance and universal meals are an effective way to address food insecurity and promote equity.
- Supporting School Healthcare Services: Adequate healthcare services, including the presence of Children’s School Services, are essential for managing chronic health conditions and addressing immediate health needs. We will continue to advocate for adequate funding to maintain and expand these critical services in schools.
While these are just a few of the critical areas we are focusing our advocacy efforts on in 2025, this list does not represent the full scope of our work. Children’s National Government Affairs will continue to advocate for legislation that protects the interest of children and their families, improves access to care, addresses social determinants of health and equity, and supports our community health needs assessment.
About the author

Elizabeth Davis, MHA
Manager of Government Affairs within the Child Health Advocacy Institute at Children's National Hospital