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.
Expanding BadgerCare is a Win-Win for Wisconsin
Too many Wisconsinites do not have access to quality, affordable health care. However, Wisconsin can significantly reduce that problem and save money at the same time by using available federal funding to make more low-income adults eligible for BadgerCare. The...
5 Reasons Wisconsin Needs to Expand BadgerCare Now
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) brought insurance coverage to many, but too many Wisconsinites still do not have access to quality, affordable health care. Wisconsin could significantly reduce that problem and save hundreds of millions of dollars at the same time by using available federal funding to make about 80,000 low-income adults eligible for BadgerCare.
Four Charts About Health Care You Need to See
New figures released last month by the Census Bureau show that an unacceptable number of Wisconsinites, including children, are living without health insurance. Every kid and every family deserves affordable insurance so that they can get needed care without having to worry about going bankrupt because of unexpected medical bills.
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.
No Results Found
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.
Research & Publications
Amidst COVID-19, Government Support Helped Many Wisconsin Children and Families Stay Afloat
COVID-19 relief measures have given us a strong blueprint for addressing poverty for millions.
DHS Proposes New Impediments to BadgerCare Participation
Many Wisconsinites could lose their access to health care services if a new set of Walker administration proposals is approved by federal officials. The proposals formally unveiled today by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) would adversely affect...
CBO Analysis of ACA Insurance Gains: House Plan Amounts to Repeal and Erase
A new report by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) confirms most of our worst fears about the House Republican plan to repeal much of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and radically change Medicaid. The March 13th report released by the...
ACA Repeal Bill Becomes a Stealth Attack on Medicaid
Fundamental Change to Structure of Medicaid Would Gradually Yield Deep Cuts A new analysis of the House Republican plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) projects that the changes relating to the health insurance Marketplace will cause more than 15...
Wisconsin Health Insurance Landscape Infographic
We've updated our infographics detailing how different groups are affected by the new health insurance landscape with the new 2018 Federal Poverty Levels (FPL). ACA Eligibility and FPL Graphic February 2018 update (English) ACA Eligibility and FPL Graphic February...
Medicaid Spending Growth Continues to Slow
DHS Projects State Share of Medicaid Spending to be $312 Million Less than Budgeted Medicaid spending in Wisconsin has been far less than state lawmakers anticipated when they approved the 2015-17 budget bill 18 months ago. The sharply reduced estimates of Medicaid...
The Harmful Consequences in Wisconsin of ACA Repeal
Repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which seems to be a high priority for some members of Congress and the President-elect, would hurt Wisconsinites in far more ways than most people realize. A new WCCF fact sheet summarizes some of the most significant effects...
Share your Story
What would ensuring health in your community look like?
Join our mailing list below to receive powerful analysis and ways to get involved sent straight to your inbox.
Sign up for Emails
Your address helps us identify your legislators and the most relevant messages to send you.