Children’s health advocates have their hands full trying to preserve Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for America’s children, but they can’t slow down on their efforts to connect more kids with coverage. Most uninsured children are eligible for Medicaid or CHIP but are unenrolled because their parents aren’t aware of the option or they face other barriers to enrollment.

Back-to-School season is a prime time to remind parents that their children may be eligible for affordable health coverage while also reminding policymakers and the community about the importance of these programs to children’s health and school success.

Fortunately, several organizations have produced materials to help organizations connect more kids with health coverage. Here are a few good examples:

• Insure Kids Now posted these Back-to-School resources to promote outreach and enrollment to families as the school year starts.
• The National Association of School Nurses created an interactive toolkit.
• The Children’s Defense Fund and the School Superintendents Association created a Happy, Healthy, and Ready to Learn: Insure All Children Toolkit featuring tools, tips, and proven strategies from school districts and communities.