Over the past ten years, the nation has made strong progress providing health care coverage to children—between 1997 and 2006, the uninsured rate among low-income children dropped by more than one third. While this progress has relied heavily on federal support, primarily through Medicaid and SCHIP, states have led the way. Nine million children, however, remain uninsured, and the most recent data show the number of children without coverage is again on the rise. Recently, a new wave of state initiatives has been spreading across the country; over the past two years, over half the states have adopted significant additional efforts to increase and/or improve children's coverage. The Finish Line project, an initiative of the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, works in and across states to build upon these efforts toward the goal of providing health coverage to all children. The initiative has two goals:
Research and policy assistance to states: CCF, with Spitfire Strategies, provides research, policy and communications support to the David and Lucile Packard Foundation's Finish Line Project, and particularly to the eight organizations that receive multi-year grants under this project. The grantees represent a diverse mix of states that are ready to undertake or implement significant, demonstrable improvements in children's coverage. Resources and tools for states: CCF provides information for state advocates, organizations, and policymakers that are seeking assistance in developing and moving forward on state health coverage initiatives aimed at children and families. See the State Resource Center for updates on efforts in states to increase child and family health coverage, key statistics, and in-depth analysis of critical policy issues. Follow the links to the right for the work on this project. |
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