April 19, 2024 2:50 a.m.

This week Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley urged federal officials to award a planning grant of up to $2.5 million to Oregon that would strengthen school-based health services financed by Medicaid in the state.

The senators’ letter to the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services comes in support of the Oregon Health Authority’s grant application.

The senators wrote, “This planning grant would help OHA and the Oregon Department of Education to prepare Oregon’s schools to provide a holistic approach to student’s medical and behavioral health needs provided in the school setting, support school districts and local education agencies via technical assistance and training and support community engagement”. The letter went to CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure”. The letter continued, “These are exactly the types of activities we envisioned these grants could support”.

The release said CMS in 2014 began letting states seek Medicaid reimbursement for health services for all students enrolled in Medicaid. Oregon is one of a limited number of states that’s taken the initiative to expand its use of Medicaid beyond services listed on individualized education programs and individualized service plans to support a broad range of health services in schools.

The senators said, “We are excited about this opportunity for Oregon, and we are confident OHA will use this grant funding to effectively fill current gaps in their provision of Medicaid-funded school-based health services”.