No Child Should Navigate Healthcare Alone: Calling for Real Change Beyond Senator Mastriano’s Efforts
Empowering Parents, Guiding Teens—Building a Clearer Path for Medical Rights and Care
First, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to Senator Doug Mastriano for his work on the “No Child Left Alone Act,” a crucial step in empowering parents to support their children during medical and dental appointments. This measure acknowledges the importance of having a trusted and familiar figure by a young child’s side to ease anxiety and improve well-being.
But as a passionate parent of a teenager, I can tell you—it doesn’t go far enough.
Teenagers, especially those with disabilities, face unique challenges as they transition into adulthood. The medical care system they’re trying to navigate is already complex, and for teens who don’t fully understand their conditions or treatments, that complexity grows. The process of gaining rights, making medical decisions, and balancing parental support during these critical years is muddy and frustrating.
We need a system that recognizes this stage of life for what it is: a delicate, confusing bridge between childhood and adulthood. Parents of teens—aged 14 to 18—shouldn’t feel powerless when it comes to supporting their children through medical care. Teens need guidance, not just in the appointment room but in understanding the broader picture of their health.
As a community, we need to push for policies that go beyond the early years and address the struggles of teenagers stepping into adulthood. Let’s advocate for a streamlined, parent-inclusive healthcare system that helps teens and their families make informed decisions, together.
The work has started, but there’s much more to do.
As parents, we promise this: We’re not done yet.
Harrisburg
Representative Marla Brown, along with Representative Tarik Khan, plans to introduce legislation in Pennsylvania to allow school buses to be equipped with extended stop arms. This measure aims to enhance the safety of children traveling to and from school, addressing the alarming issue of vehicles illegally passing stopped school buses. Recent statistics reveal an overwhelming number of violations, prompting a call for legislative change to protect students effectively. https://www.palegis.us/house/co-sponsorship/memo?memoID=46271
Representative Liz Hanbidge has introduced a bill package aimed at enhancing the protection of child actors in Pennsylvania, following alarming revelations about abuse in the film industry highlighted in the docuseries “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV.” The proposed legislation seeks to ensure that all adult employees on film sets pass a child abuse background check and that they are mandated reporters of any suspected child abuse that occurs during productions. https://www.palegis.us/house/co-sponsorship/memo?memoID=46294
On April 2, 2025, Representatives Paul Friel and John Schlegel announced plans to modernize Pennsylvania’s school transportation laws through upcoming bipartisan legislation, developed in collaboration with various stakeholders including transportation contractors and school officials. The proposed legislation aims to streamline administrative procedures, implement electronic tracking for more accurate data collection, adjust the transportation funding index, and create a funding program for special transportation services. https://www.palegis.us/house/co-sponsorship/memo?memoID=46293
Representative Jason Ortitay is proposing legislation to enhance Pennsylvania's student teacher stipend program by offering an additional $5,000 grant to eligible student teachers in high-need subject areas. This initiative aims to alleviate financial burdens faced by future educators during their unpaid teaching experiences, while also addressing the critical teacher shortages in essential subjects across the state. https://www.palegis.us/house/co-sponsorship/memo?memoID=46301