Congress is considering cuts to Medicaid that would negatively affect student access to health services, particularly mental and behavioral healthcare. Cutting Medicaid would reduce care for children with disabilities, undermine efforts to address the youth mental health crisis and exacerbate workforce shortages of school health providers.

Those are the findings of a new report, "How Medicaid Cuts Will Harm Students & Schools," based on a nationwide survey of over 1,400 school district leaders, including superintendents, school business officials and school health coordinators, on the impact Medicaid cuts would have on their district. 

Survey respondents point to Medicaid funding as "life-saving" and "essential" for student health and school district budgets, with 80% saying cuts would lead to reductions in school health staff and personnel, including layoffs, and 70% saying cuts would reduce the availability of mental and behavioral health services. Healthcare won't be the only area affected: 90% of respondents expect Medicaid cuts would lead to reductions across their district's budget. 

The report was published by Healthy Schools Campaign (HSC) in partnership with The School Superintendents Association (AASA), Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO), National Alliance for Medicaid in Education (NAME) and Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE). The multiple-choice survey invited respondents to provide additional explanation and insights, which are captured as quotes throughout the report.

We encourage you to share this report, executive summary and related graphics with your networks.