Reductions in Medicaid funding likely damage school health services, student resources

Children going without mental health supports, schools laying off nurses, and increased taxes on local communities are some of the outcomes feared by K-12 school districts, should Congress proceed with cuts to federal Medicaid funding. Eighty percent of respondents to a nationwide survey of 1,440 K-12 district leaders and administrators, carried out by organizations including the Healthy Schools Campaign (HSC) and ASBO International, said that if Medicaid is cut, their district would have to reduce specialized instructional support personnel, including school nurses, school psychologists, speech-language pathologists, and occupational and physical therapists. Additionally, 90% said that Medicaid cuts would lead to reductions across their school district’s budget, outside of health services. “Medicaid offers districts critical funding and flexibility for determining how best to support all students’ needs, including students with disabilities,” said James Rowan, ASBO International chief executive and executive director. “Cutting Medicaid would limit district options for providing student mental and behavioral health services, care coordination and referral services, and more.” his comments were echoed by Jessie Mandle, HSC national program director: “Cutting Medicaid is equivalent to cutting school district budgets. Schools will not be able to provide the level of care and services that families and communities depend upon.”