SCHIP, launched in 1997, allowed states to expand coverage through their existing Medicaid program, to establish a separate state program, or to adopt a combination approach. The option to establish a separate program has been important to many states, but it also can make it more difficult for families to secure and retain coverage for their children when they must navigate two child health programs–Medicaid and a separate SCHIP program. This issue brief provides strategies on how states can coordinate coverage between Medicaid and separate SCHIP programs to ensure children do not slip through the cracks.