Ensure Health
No matter where we live or what we look like, we all deserve to live safe and healthy lives. However, over decades, Wisconsin lawmakers have chosen the wealthy few over our communities. This has resulted in unprecedented disparities in education, income, housing and more—the social determinants of our communities’ health. And, some lawmakers have chosen to play politics instead of providing the health care that our communities desperately need. When we work together and address the root causes of health inequities, we give everyone the opportunity to live happier, healthier lives.
How can decisionmakers ensure health in Wisconsin?
- Fully Expand Medicaid.
- Extend 12 months postpartum coverage for Medicaid and BadgerCare prenatal members.
- Serve more students by reforming school-based Medicaid and investing in youth mental health.
- Improve Medicaid by allowing it to reimburse community-based health providers.
- Implement a statewide language access plan.
- Create or expand the Family Planning Only Services program.
- Extend the Medicaid emergency service benefit, so that all people otherwise ineligible due to their immigration status can better access health care in emergency situations.
- Culturally and linguistically responsive services.
- Fully fund the Farm to School program through DATCP and DPI.
- Include Healthy School Meals for All in the budget.
- Support healthier early childhood development.
Reclaim. Rebuild. Reimagine.
Join us to unrig the rules that benefit the wealthy few. View our full policy agenda.
Advocating for Health Care Coverage for All Wisconsin Residents
Physical and mental health care is a human right and access to care is essential for a just society. No matter someone’s race, how much money they make, or where they were born we all deserve comprehensive, affordable, quality health care. We are working for that future, but we know we have a long way to go.
Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act provides health care for one in four people living in Wisconsin. Through community and partner informed research, data-analysis, advocacy, and education we work to strengthen, protect, and improve Medicaid and access to affordable health coverage and care.
We team up with providers, patients, workers, advocates, and other stakeholders to push for policies such as extending postpartum Medicaid coverage, fully expanding Medicaid, and making it easier for people to get the care they need Medicaid and insurance providers covering care provided by doulas, community health workers, and other trusted sources of care close to communities.
Contact us to learn more. Sharing personal stories that we can bring to the state capital is one of the most powerful ways to join the fight for a just healthcare system.
Badgercare vs Medicaid?
Medicaid provides health insurance for more than one million people in Wisconsin. BadgerCare, one of several Medicaid programs, is health insurance for kids, parents, and adults with low incomes who typically don’t have access to coverage through their job. Medicaid also offers long term care for people with disabilities and older adults who need support to stay independent in their communities. Learn more about Medicaid vs BadgerCare here.
Governor Signs Postpartum Medicaid Extension Bill
Today the Governor signed the postpartum Medicaid extension bill into law. For people that have given birth while on Medicaid/BadgerCare, they will have health insurance for a full year after giving birth, instead of the current 60 days. The bill, now Wisconsin Act...
Wisconsin Legislators Finally Pass Lifesaving Postpartum Care for New Moms
For Release: Thursday, February 19, 2026 Contact: Emily Miota, 262-853-6863 Today, the Wisconsin state assembly voted to ensure that new moms on Medicaid have health insurance for a year after giving birth, instead of the current 60 days. Wisconsin will soon become...
Resistance Against the Harmful Megabill
“Talkin’ About a Revolution” song by Tracy Chapman; check out our full curated playlist here - handpicked jams to keep the joy flowing! No matter where we live or what we look like, we all need access to quality, affordable health care. In a country that doesn’t...
Healthy Food & Active Kids
Nourishing food and safe, inviting physical activity are a basic need for every child in Wisconsin. But, some lawmakers choose to line the pocketbooks of Wisconsin’s wealthy few instead of reinvesting our tax dollars back into our communities. Both Wisconsin’s urban and rural communities are too often in food deserts where healthy food is expensive and hard to access. Many communities and neighborhoods don’t have safe, inviting playgrounds and outdoor spaces. Mental health is suffering.
Kids Forward helps lead two statewide coalitions that work to improve nutrition security and physical activity, as well as opportunities for outdoor learning and play. Learning where our food comes from: gardening and cooking are essential as we “Grow Healthy Kids”.
Together we have developed resources and trainings, provided financial support, and partnered with state agencies and local organizations to get kids outside and eating locally grown food.
Lake Michigan School Food System Innovation Hub
We have partnered with the USDA and Illinois Public Health Institute to launch the Lake Michigan School Food Systems Innovation Hub. We’re funding collaborations with farmers, food suppliers, food service directors, community-based program leaders and more to strengthen the K-12 food supply chain.
Healthy Early
A statewide, cross-sector partnership, Healthy Early is working to create equitable opportunities for healthy eating and physical activity for Wisconsin kids and families. Kids Forward currently serves as a convener for the coalition.
To learn more, contact Daithi Wolfe.
Healthy Early leaders at their first in-person retreat in April 2024.
Improving Language Access in Wisconsin
In 2024, Kids Forward and the Multicultural Coalition launched our Language Access Awareness Campaign. This partnership grew out of a need to address language barriers not only at the direct service level, but also at the systems and policy level. To ensure families can access services and meet their basic needs, communities must work collectively to provide meaningful language access services up front, not just translations by request.
Wisconsin currently does not have a statewide language access plan, although some counties and state agencies have prepared their own. Now is the time for local and state governments to get proactive about creating robust language plans and ensuring that all families, regardless of language, can access the critical resources they need. Contact your legislators and Governor Tony Evers to ask them to support the implementation of a statewide language access plan.
To learn more, contact Amanda Martinez.
With the Multicultural Coalition Inc, in October 2024 we brought together advocates and service providers in the Fox Valley to share challenges and solutions around language access.
2025-2027 State Budget: Our Final Take
On July 3, 2025, Governor Evers signed the 2025-2027 State Budget. Ultimately this budget doesn't go nearly far enough to address the everyday struggles of Wisconsin families, especially families of color and those furthest from opportunity. But there were a few...
10/17: Improving Language Access in Wisconsin
[texto en español a continuación] Breaking Barriers Improving Language Access in Wisconsin Thursday, October 17, 1 - 3pmD.J. Bordini Center-Fox Valley Technical College [google map]5 N Systems Dr, Appleton, WI 54914 This event is FREE and open to all healthcare...
Back-to-School Means Language Access More Important than Ever
Better access to services and resources for multilingual community members begins with proactive approach to language barriers Contacts: Emily Miota, [email protected] or Lisa Cruz, [email protected] Madison, WI – With kids heading back to the classroom and many...
Research & Publications
Funding for FoodShare: Good. Policing Food Choices: Bad.
Feds cut healthcare and food assistance to give more tax cuts to wealthiest Americans Last year, Trump & his supporters in Congress made the largest cuts to SNAP/FoodShare in history in order to give tax breaks to the rich. SNAP, aka FoodShare in Wisconsin, is one...
Governor Signs Postpartum Medicaid Extension Bill
Today the Governor signed the postpartum Medicaid extension bill into law. For people that have given birth while on Medicaid/BadgerCare, they will have health insurance for a full year after giving birth, instead of the current 60 days. The bill, now Wisconsin Act...
Wisconsin Legislators Finally Pass Lifesaving Postpartum Care for New Moms
For Release: Thursday, February 19, 2026 Contact: Emily Miota, 262-853-6863 Today, the Wisconsin state assembly voted to ensure that new moms on Medicaid have health insurance for a year after giving birth, instead of the current 60 days. Wisconsin will soon become...
Wisconsin Agriculture, Hunger Relief Groups Call for Action to Support FoodShare
Last year, Trump & his supporters in Congress passed the Republican megabill. This bill gutted funding for a bunch of essential services our communities rely on in order to give tax breaks to the rich. One of those services was SNAP/FoodShare, which ensures that...
Fighting to Keep Groceries on the Table
“Rise Up” song by Andra Day & Jennifer Decilveo; check out our full curated playlist here – handpicked jams to keep the joy flowing! Andra Day’s “Rise Up” is a reminder that even in the face of hardship, communities find ways to stand together. Rising up, now...
Resistance Against the Harmful Megabill
“Talkin’ About a Revolution” song by Tracy Chapman; check out our full curated playlist here - handpicked jams to keep the joy flowing! No matter where we live or what we look like, we all need access to quality, affordable health care. In a country that doesn’t...
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