Increasing Enrollment of Eligible Students in Medicaid and CHP+

Overview
Background Information
Eligibility Criteria
Selection Criteria
How to Apply
Additional Resources 

Overview
The Colorado Health Foundation invites organizations to submit applications to increase the enrollment of eligible students in Medicaid and the Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+). Specifically, the Foundation seeks to fund two-year grants to create partnerships between school districts and county departments of human/social services or other state-designated medical assistance sites.

Background Information
For the growing number of uninsured, low-income Coloradans, Medicaid and CHP+ can be lifesavers. Research suggests that one Coloradan dies every day due to a lack of health insurance. In addition, people without health insurance do not get needed preventive care, often resulting in acute illness requiring more expensive emergency room treatment. Many of these costs are passed on to people with insurance in the form of higher premiums.

Despite the availability of public insurance programs, more than 790,000 Coloradans, or 16 percent of the population, do not have health coverage, including 165,000 children. According to the Colorado Health Institute, nearly 80,000 of Colorado’s uninsured children are eligible for public programs but not enrolled.

Barriers to enrolling in these programs are well-documented and include:

• lack of awareness about the programs;
• misconceptions about eligibility;
• the complex and time-consuming application process;
• problems with the state’s computerized system that determines eligibility;
• documentation requirements; 
• social stigma associated with accessing public assistance programs.

Research has identified many strategies for increasing enrollment in public programs. Some of the most effective are:

• simplifying the enrollment and renewal processes;
• conducting community-based outreach and application assistance;
• using technology to allow, for example, state databases to exchange eligibility information so people can apply online or over the phone, eliminating the need to provide paper documentation of information the state already has; 
• targeting marketing strategies to reach eligible but not enrolled populations.
  

Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must represent a partnership between a school district or charter board of directors and county departments of human/social services or other state designated medical assistance sites. Evidence of partnership must be demonstrated through joint submission of the proposal and shared funding between the partnering organizations.

Selection Criteria
Grants will be awarded based on the following criteria. 

• Ability to document number of children enrolled in Medicaid and CHP+ as a result of the project. 
• Demonstrated partnership between a school district or charter board of directors and county department of human/social services or medical assistance site. 
• Detailed work plan with potential to increase enrollment in Medicaid and CHP+.
• Clearly articulated roles of partnering organizations.
• Ability to target outreach to students who are uninsured and likely to be eligible for Medicaid and CHP+.
• Plans for sustainability after the grant period ends.

How to Apply
To apply, please use the Colorado Health Foundation’s online grant application. We will accept proposals that are received prior to one of our regular deadlines:

• January 15
• April 15
• July 15
• October 15

Please e-mail questions to Amy Latham, program officer, or call (303) 953-3670.

Additional Resources
Colorado Covering Kids and Families published a white paper titled  Innovative School-Based Outreach and Enrollment Tactics for Medicaid and CHP+. The paper explains different tactics schools and counties have used to increase enrollment in Medicaid and CHP+. Applicants are not required to use any of these tactics, but may find the paper useful for planning purposes.