State Public Health and Medicaid Agencies Partner on Children’s Needs
Officials detail coordinated interventions to improve care and well-being
In recent years, children in the United States have faced high rates of preterm birth, chronic health conditions, and mental health crises. Addressing the vital issue of children’s health requires coordinated strategies involving healthcare providers, health plans, and government agencies. A new report published by The Pew Charitable Trusts, researched and produced in cooperation with the Center for Health Care Strategies, highlights key ways that state public health and Medicaid agencies are partnering to support children.
Public health and Medicaid agencies are well positioned to work together, given the significant overlap in the populations they serve. Medicaid covers 39% of U.S. children, including 80% of those living in households at or below 100% of the federal poverty level. While public health agencies can use community-based programs to address gaps in care, Medicaid agencies can improve healthcare delivery by partnering with managed care organizations and offering financial incentives to providers who prioritize administering high-quality services.
States throughout the country are strengthening public health-Medicaid partnerships to promote children’s well-being with more targeted interventions. The following examples spotlight three promising strategies shared by state officials.
Louisiana uses a shared needs assessment to identify children’s health priorities
Shared focus and funding requirements can serve as a foundation for partnership efforts. In Louisiana, public health and Medicaid agencies are required to conduct a shared needs assessment as part of the Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant, a federal-state program that provides funding to states for services that improve the health and well-being of mothers, infants, children, and families. The assessment provides a structured process for examining population health needs, in addition to helping the agencies identify opportunities to improve maternal and child healthcare access and to develop a shared policy agenda. The most recent needs assessment helped inform the Title V State Action Plan for 2026-2030, which outlines Louisiana’s goals for advancing maternal and child health. Among those goals are improving data access and strengthening systems that provide health and social services to mothers, infants, and adolescents.
Massachusetts agencies partner to expand services for children with complex health needs
In Massachusetts, the public health agency partners with Medicaid, known in the state as MassHealth, to develop programs to meet the medical, behavioral health, and social needs of children and families. The MassHealth Coordinating Aligned, Relationship-centered, Enhanced Support (CARES) for Kids program, for example, provides targeted case management services for children and youth with complex medical needs. Children enrolled in MassHealth receive needs assessments, individualized care plans, and care management, and families receive referrals to resources and services. The state Department of Public Health supports the program by operating the Care Coordination, Assistance, Training, Education, and Resource Center, which provides educational and technical assistance to MassHealth CARES for Kids provider teams.
Maryland’s partnership aims to reduce lead exposure and other asthma triggers
In Maryland, public health and Medicaid partners oversee and manage home visiting programs to support families whose children have asthma. Program staff help connect eligible families to lead removal services and assist them in taking other steps to prevent asthma attacks. Medicaid and public health agencies upload to a public portal their respective data on program enrollment, rates of elevated blood lead levels, and asthma prevalence, allowing closer tracking of statewide trends.
These examples demonstrate how collaboration between public health and Medicaid agencies can help states improve children’s health by identifying shared priorities, resources, and needs, and by establishing clear, complementary roles and efforts. States can use data sharing and coordinated program management to implement targeted interventions and monitor health outcomes over time. Drawing on these approaches, state leaders can build lasting partnerships that respond to local needs and better support children’s health and well-being.
Amanda Carrillo-Perez is a senior associate and Rachel Zetts is a senior officer with The Pew Charitable Trusts’ state health solutions project.
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