Public Health & Data

Congress should establish federal funding for the Community Schoolyards project through the National Park Service’s (NPS) Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) to renovate asphalt schoolyards into schoolyard parks by providing grants to school districts, city parks, and water departments to fund renovations with oversight from federal agencies.

Congress should pass the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act (Momnibus 2.0) package, which includes 13 bills to address alarming disparities in Black maternal health.

Federal departments and agencies should make mental health and substance use disorder (MH/SUD) data collection and reporting a top priority by finalizing a proposed rule to require states to report on MH/SUD measures in Medicaid, creating a common MH/SUD data model and reporting portal that all recipients of federal MH/SUD funds must use, reestablishing the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Data Council, and adding new MH/SUD vital statistics records to the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) that are updated monthly.

The Department of Education (DOE) should build a standardized framework for schools to implement the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) framework, establish dashboards for data collection and resources libraries on the MTSS framework, establish a certification program that recognizes districts that have implemented MTSS best practices, and establish a permanent position for school-based Medicaid services to support state education agencies in implementation.The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) should also clarify that Tier 1 supports under MTSS include prevention and early intervention services under the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit.

Congress should pass legislation to increase investments to support infants, children, youth, and families who have experienced, or may experience, trauma such as the Rise from Trauma Act.

Congress should improve standardization and the availability of data relating to peer support specialists to facilitate peer support specialist workforce development. Peer support specialists should also be included in any Medicaid workforce demonstration projects.