January 31, 2024
Grants Will Help Up to 20 States Implement or Expand School-Based Health Services for Children Enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP
Last week, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), announced $50 million in grants for states to connect millions more children to critical health care services, particularly for mental health, at school. Made possible by the historic investments of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the grants will provide 20 states up to $2.5 million each in funding that can help states implement, enhance, and expand the use of school-based health services through Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
In addition to this $50 million grant announcement, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra and U.S. Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona issued a joint letter to governors, emphasizing that this grant funding “will make it easier for states to support schools in providing critical health care services, especially mental health services, for millions of students across the nation.”