Advocating for Stronger Families and Healthier Communities Across Virginia

At Families Forward Virginia, we believe every child deserves a strong start and every family deserves support. That’s why we partner with families, communities and organizations across the Commonwealth to nurture resilience, strengthen parent-child relationships and shape policies that create lasting change.

Our Mission in Action

We lead a statewide network of more than 50 organizations, streamlining support and elevating best practices through programs such as home visiting, family resource centers, parent-led support programs and policy advocacy We’re improving outcomes for families by:

• Expanding access to services that prevent child abuse and neglect

• Supporting collaboration among health, education and social service providers

• Advocating for policies that promote child and family wellbeing

Policy & Advocacy: 2025 Highlights

This year’s General Assembly session was a whirlwind—559 bills signed, 157 vetoed, and the budget returned with 205 amendments. We championed three major budget amendments, though they didn’t pass this round. These included:

1. Funding for Family Resource Centers

2. Support for evidence-based research through CHIP of Virginia

3. A Medicaid benefit for home visiting services

At the federal level, the reauthorization of Title IV-B brought promising increases in funding and support for family preservation. But uncertainty remains due to ongoing budget negotiations and the potential impacts of PAYGO triggers. We continue to track legislation that could affect key programs such as Medicaid, SNAP, TANF and MIECHV.

Take Action for Virginia’s Families

Now more than ever, your voice matters. Here’s how you can help:

• Email your Senator using this action alert from Prevent Child Abuse America

• Use this advocacy toolkit to schedule meetings and share your story

• Connect with your local Congressional District Office to ensure your community is heard

Communicating in Challenging Times

Even when policies shift, people still respond to messages grounded in dignity, fairness and community. We can create change by:

• Leading with shared values and focusing on solutions

• Framing health as holistic—physical, mental and emotional wellbeing

• Connecting past injustices to current outcomes

• Painting a vision for a better future, together

Every conversation is a chance to move toward a stronger, healthier Virginia. Let’s keep moving each other—and our communities—forward.