Webinar: Protecting and Strengthening Medicaid in Schools — Strategies for Advocates
June 3, 2025
Congress is considering sweeping cuts to the federal Medicaid program that 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 a 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.
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
Resources:
- Protecting School Medicaid: An Advocacy Guide for People Who Care About Children’s Health – HSC + Community Catalyst
- Talking Points for Advocates – HSC
- Medicaid Defense: Advocacy Resources – 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
