Vulnerable Populations
Medicaid’s Role in Child, Youth and Adult Mental Health
Addressing the nation’s mental health crisis relies on a strong Medicaid program. The United States is enduring a significant mental health crisis, with nearly one in three adults experiencing anxiety and depression symptoms in 2023. The problem, exacerbated by the pandemic, is particularly acute among children and youth. The American Academy of Pediatrics and other […]
How Medicaid Helps People with Substance Use Disorders
In recent years, many Americans have grown to view a substance use disorder as a chronic disease, even as the stigma toward people who use drugs and alcohol persists. Following decades of punitive and criminal responses, health care and social services systems are adopting more effective ways to ensure access to substance use prevention, intervention […]
Webinar: What Medicaid Cuts Would Mean for Indian Country
The Georgetown University Center for Children and Families (CCF) and the National Council of Urban Indian Health (NCUIH) hosted a webinar on the potential impacts of proposed federal Medicaid cuts on American Indian and Alaska Native communities. This webinar was open to the press, tribal leaders, health advocates, policymakers, and anyone interested in understanding the […]
CMS Highlights EPSDT Policies and Strategies for Improving Care for Children with Behavioral Health Needs
As discussed in our blog series on the CMS’s new EPSDT guidance, the 57 page state health official letter lays out a number of policies and strategies to help states meet their EPSDT requirements under Medicaid – including care for children with behavioral health needs. As you may recall, in 2022, CMS released an informational […]
House Budget Proposal Seeks to Eliminate Healthy Start, a Proven Program to Reduce Maternal and Infant Mortality
By Kay Johnson For more than 30 years, the federal Healthy Start program has been investing in community-based solutions to reduce maternal and infant mortality in communities with infant mortality rates at least 1.5 times the U.S. national average. At a time when many are rightly calling for more community and family engagement to reduce […]
A Look at Maternal Health Legislation in the 118th Congress
By: Tanesha Mondestin and Kay Johnson Maternal health continues to be a priority for many Members of Congress. We previously scanned maternal health legislation that Members of Congress may consider in the 2022 “Lame Duck” session. We revisited this topic this election year to consider proposals pending in the 118th Congress as their chance of […]