Protecting Children’s Access to Health Care in Schools: The Impact of Medicaid Cuts on School Health Services
“Due to the remote area we serve, our students have little to no access to medical services otherthan those provided in schools.”—Superintendent from a rural school district in Michigan. Schools are essential places for children to access health services. An estimated 40 percent ofschool-aged children have at least one chronic health condition (National Survey of Children’sHealth, 2019). Among low-income children with special health careneeds, approximately 87percent do not receive necessary care, primarily due to financial costs and limited access (Childand Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative, 2022). Providing health care at school, where children spend most of their days, is crucial to addressing these concerns.
Responding to a Rural Hospital Closure: The Importance of a Phased, Multi-Pronged Approach
It has been over a year since the August 31, 2024, closure of a beloved community hospital in Ayer, Massachusetts following the bankruptcy of the private equity-backed Steward Health Care system. The impacts of the Nashoba Valley Medical Center closure continue to reverberate across this rural working-class region, adding to a growing sense of abandonment and frustration that has accumulated over waves of health care service cuts.
Elizabeth Ripley of the Mat-Su Health Foundation to Be Honored with the 2025 Terrance Keenan Leadership Award
Elizabeth Ripley, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Mat-Su Health Foundation in Alaska, will receive Grantmakers In Health’s 2025 Terrance Keenan Leadership Award.
Maternal Health in American Indian/Alaska Native Communities: Challenges, Opportunities, and Pathways Forward
Maternal health is a cornerstone of any community’s well-being, yet American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) women face disproportionate challenges in achieving safe and healthy pregnancies. Historical inequities, systemic barriers, and the enduring effects of colonization have resulted in significant maternal health disparities within Native communities. However, these same communities are also sources of resilience, creativity, and innovation. Maternal health programs aimed at centering community in tradition, culture, and resiliency can offer unique, cross-sectoral solutions to complex systemic health barriers for AI/AN families.
Investing in Civic Infrastructure: The Rise of a New Foundation in a Rural, Disinvested Community
When people hear about our work in Imperial Valley, they often exclaim, “How exciting to build a new foundation!” But I gently redirect them: We’re not building another institution— the last thing our communities need is another organization competing for resources. Instead, we’re building civic infrastructure to create the framework for lasting, community-led change.