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.
With partners at the Noble Community Health Center’s Children’s Health Day, August 2024, in Wautoma.
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.
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.
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.
New Study Shows Heavy Cost of Unmet Maternal Mental Health Needs
Healthy mothers and healthy babies contribute to the health of Wisconsin’s communities. Yet nationally, 1 in 7 women experience depression and anxiety during pregnancy and after they give birth. Only half of these women receive treatment. A new study reveals the cost...
Wisconsinites Strongly Support Expanding BadgerCare
A recent poll from Marquette University shows seven out of ten Wisconsinites support accepting federal funds to fully expand BadgerCare in order to cover more low-income adults. Wisconsin is one of only 14 states that has not yet decided to expand Medicaid. Both red...
Key Initiatives for Children in the Governor’s 2019-21 Budget
One of the clearest themes of Governor Evers’ 2019-21 budget bill is the importance of making Wisconsin stronger by investing in children, families and communities.
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.
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Research & Publications
An Overview: Medicaid in Wisconsin
Medicaid provides health care coverage
for more than 1 million children and
adults in Wisconsin, including people
with very low incomes.
Just Five Days Left to Enroll in Health Coverage for 2018
Friday December 15 is the last day that people can sign up for health insurance for 2018 under the Affordable Care Act. After the 15th there will not be another opportunity to enroll in health insurance for 2018 unless you have had a significant event in your life,...
Evaluating Wisconsin’s 4-year BadgerCare Experiment
The Partial Expansion Costs More and Accomplishes Less than a Full Medicaid Expansion Medicaid waivers are experiments, and Wisconsin has been engaged in a 4-year test of the effects of partially expanding BadgerCare eligibility for childless adults, financed in part...
Congress Should Set Aside Its Differences and Work Together to Protect Health Care for Kids
It has been nearly two months since Congress failed to renew funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Funding for program expired on September 30 of this year. If Congress does not act soon, it will force many states to notify parents and begin the...
Trump Doubles Down on ACA Sabotage
The Republican controlled congress has tried and failed multiple times to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, but the Trump administration continues its sabotage efforts and attempts to undermine the health law that’s helped 20 million people get health...
Despite Trump Administration Actions Creating Turmoil, Affordable Care Act Will Insulate Many from Insurance Rate Hikes
The Trump administration has taken numerous steps to hinder the Affordable Care Act and could eventually cause many state insurance marketplaces to collapse, but the majority of Wisconsinites who get coverage through the ACA will be protected from the increased...
Expiring Programs Could Damage Health Care System and State Budget
Cuts to CHIP Could Throw the Wisconsin Budget out of Balance Congress failed last week to extend funding for several important health care programs that enjoy broad public support. By not acting on the following three programs, Republican leaders have put the future...
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