Funding Community Violence Intervention Through Medicaid

• In Event: Policy Panel: The Face of Community Violence Intervention Programs: Building Sustainable Community Violence Intervention Programs using Medicaid

Abstract

In the face of tighter city, state, and federal budgets, it is increasingly important to identify sustainable funding sources to ensure CVI programs continue responding to and preventing the public health crisis of community violence. Paying for CVI through Medicaid offers such an opportunity, since research shows that nearly 2 out of 3 gunshot victims either have Medicaid or are uninsured. However, accessing Medicaid comes with its own challenges, and states across the country are taking different approaches to implementing this policy. As 7 states have already elected to add the benefit, with several additional states actively considering it, advocates must learn how Medicaid can play a critical role in long-term funding for CVI.

Attendees will receive an overview of the federal landscape and the varying approaches states are taking to pass and implement policies to fund CVI through Medicaid. Through the case studies presented by this panel, attendees will learn about both the challenges and opportunities that come with attempting to leverage public health investments for CVI. After sharing about the status of implementation from the different states, panelists will create space for attendees from other states to ask questions and share their experiences with attempting to access Medicaid funding.

Authors

• Joseph Griffin, Youth ALIVE!

• Gabriel Garcia, Youth ALIVE!