Medicaid is in the crosshairs, as Republicans in Congress are expected to lay out proposals in May to cut $1.5 trillion from the federal budget, prompting strong opposition from educators.
Around 15 million Californians rely on Medicaid, known here as Medi-Cal, for their health care. However, as Mayra Alvarez, president of the Children’s Partnership, noted, the cuts would also deal a devastating blow to schools.
“Medicaid is the third-largest source of funding for K-through-12 public schools to help children have access to routine health screenings, preventive services and physical speech and occupational therapies,” she said.
The Trump administration is looking for savings to fund the president’s other priorities, including extending his 2017 tax cuts, which primarily benefit the wealthy and corporations. School districts are uneasy because they are legally required to provide accommodations for students with disabilities, regardless of how much the federal government is willing to reimburse.
Sacramento County schools superintendent David Gordon said districts would have to make big cuts across all programs.
“Without those funds, there would be a huge bill,” he said, “and school districts would be forced to basically play financial roulette to figure out what do we cut?”
Gordon said his district uses Medi-Cal funds to place mental-health clinicians at each school site, so students with psychological needs get early diagnosis and treatment.
Shana Hazan, a trustee for the San Diego Unified School District, said people don’t realize the critical role districts play in providing health-care services.
“Students rely on Medi Cal for things like audiology, mental-health support, nursing and wellness, occupational and physical therapy, home hospital care,” she said. “These are really essential for many students with the highest needs.”
