Latest From Natalie
Community Health Workers & Medicaid: Advancing Health Equity Depends on State Implementation
As National Community Health Worker Awareness Week approaches at the end of August, we want to take stock of the advances in Medicaid’s role in financing community health worker (CHW) services and the road ahead. CHWs have a long history of supporting community public health by engaging individuals in communities that the traditional health system […]
As Pandemic-Era Funding of Community Health Workers is Dwindling, States Can Turn to Medicaid for Sustainability
The community health worker (CHW) workforce saw an infusion of funds during the COVID-19 pandemic from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and American Rescue Plan of approximately $300 million and $200 million, respectively. Other federal entities like the National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded grants to complement state efforts, all with […]
Funding for Community Health Workers Authorized in Consolidated Appropriations Act – How could this help children and families?
We’ve written about several of the exciting health provisions in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 that was signed into law in December here on Say Ahhh!: to recap, Joan Alker wrote about the permanent mandatory 12-month continuous eligibility requirement and other important provisions, Tricia Brooks detailed the new guardrails and transparency requirements as states […]
Federal Focus on Behavioral Health Crisis Care
You may be thinking that we’ve been writing a lot about behavioral health on Say Ahhh! lately. Well, you’re right – and there’s more! For starters, last week, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) released new National Guidelines for Child and Youth Behavioral Health Crisis Care, complementing other recent resources such as […]
Medicaid and the 988 Mental Health Crisis Services Lifeline: State Approaches
Last month, the new three-digit mental health crisis and suicide prevention number – 988 – went live for call, text, and chat. Established by the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020, this easy to remember number is meant to support people experiencing suicidal ideation, mental health and substance use crises, or any kind of […]