Children & Families

Additional Resources Administration for Children and Families Children's Health Insurance Program West Virginia CHIP Child Welfare Information Gateway Federal Communications Commission FCC V-Chip Viewing Television Responsibility Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration United States Department of Health & Human Services West Virginia Department of Health & Human Resources West Virginia Head Start

A strong advocate for West Virginia's children and families, Senator Jay Rockefeller has worked throughout his career in public service to help improve the lives of people across West Virginia.

He has fought to increase access to health care for all West Virginians, especially for children; improve early childhood education and family wellness; raise awareness of adoption and child welfare services; protect children from indecent and violent content in the media; and help prevent drug abuse and addiction.

In the early 1990s, Senator Rockefeller was tapped to serve as chairman of the bipartisan National Commission on Children, which examined federal programs aimed at improving overall child wellbeing, from birth through adolescence. It focused on a broad range of issues including income security, health care, education, and family values. With Senator Rockefeller's support many of the recommendations from the Commission's bipartisan report became law, including a bold refundable child tax credit and a major expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Another key recommendation of the Commission was later turned into law by Senator Rockefeller through the landmark 1997 Children's Health Insurance Program, which has provided millions of low-income children with access to health care including approximately 40,000 in West Virginia.

Promoting Adoption and Stable Families

Children's Health Coverage

Ten years ago, Senator Rockefeller helped launch one of the most important children's initiatives of the last half-century, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).More...

Addressing Violence and Indecent Content in the Media

To address the growing problem of excessive violence and indecency on television, Senator Rockefeller is pushing for legislation that would give the FCC explicit authority, for the first time, over violent programming and would increase fines for gratuitous violent or indecent content. More...

Head Start

A strong advocate for Head Start and school nutrition programs, Senator Rockefeller has worked to ensure that West Virginia's 24 Head Start programs have the funding and resources they need to be effective in their communities. More...

Protecting our Kids from Substance Abuse

Addiction and substance abuse can take a terrible toll on families, especially young children. Senator Rockefeller believes that every effort should be made to educate and protect children about the dangers of drugs. More...