May 29, 2025 | Over the past decade, states and school districts across the country have made considerable strides in expanding Medicaid-funded school health services. Many states have tapped into federal opportunities to increase Medicaid reimbursement, strengthen school health services (including access to mental healthcare) and improve student health.
Today, Medicaid is facing significant threats. Congress is considering sweeping cuts to the program, which will cause negative ripple effects on student health services, schools and communities — many of which will be forced to increase taxes and reduce or eliminate programs and services, including non-Medicaid services, to fund school budgets.
Healthy Schools Campaign (HSC) and Community Catalyst teamed up for this webinar to discuss what’s at stake and the steps advocates can take to support Medicaid and its role in advancing student health. Federal and state policy experts explain how health and education advocates can work together to navigate current challenges.
HSC and Community Catalyst also released Protecting School Medicaid: An Advocacy Guide for People Who Care About Children’s Health, which contains actions anyone can take to urge Congress to reject Medicaid cuts, suggestions for forming partnerships and developing longer-term strategies, and links to school Medicaid policy briefs and other resources.
Related Resources:
- Protecting School Medicaid: An Advocacy Guide for People Who Care About Children’s Health – HSC + Community Catalyst
- Call Script: Medicaid Defense Tools for School Health Advocates, Teachers, Parents – HSC + Community Catalyst
- Email Action Tool: Urge Congress to Reject Cuts to Medicaid – HSC + Community Catalyst
- Medicaid Defense: Advocacy Resources – Community Catalyst
Speakers:
- Orla Kennedy, Senior Policy Analyst, Community Catalyst
- Jessie Mandle, National Program Director, Healthy Schools Campaign
- Alison Paxson, Policy and Program Manager, Healthy Schools Campaign
Advocacy Panelists:
- Thaiss Del Rio, Policy Analyst, Voices for Utah Children
- Kathryn Poe, Budget & Health Researcher, Policy Matters Ohio
- Jennifer Tidball, Senior Director of Strategic Programs for Students, Missouri School Boards’ Association
Hosted in partnership with Community Catalyst
Top photo by Allison Shelley/The Verbatim Agency for EDUimages