February 25, 2025
Medicaid is not just a safety net. It’s an investment in our children’s future.
Sandy Santana, Executive Director of Children’s Rights, issued this statement:
“We say we care about children, but the actions of the House of Representatives tell a different story. Tonight, they approved a budget plan that, if passed, will deeply hurt the children of America. Medicaid is a critical lifeline for 40 million children—especially those from low-income families, rural communities, and children with special healthcare needs. Cutting it would strip away essential services like routine check-ups, mental health care, and immunizations, forcing parents into impossible decisions about their children’s well-being. And those most at risk will be hit the hardest.
Nearly all children in foster systems rely on Medicaid for medical care and to help them heal from trauma. The same is true for immigrant families and children who, under the proposed changes, may lose access to critical healthcare services—or be too afraid to seek them out at all. These draconian cuts won’t save money. They’ll do the opposite—pushing families deeper into poverty increases the risk of family separation and could drive more children into the costly, taxpayer-funded foster system.
This is both cruel and economically short-sighted. Medicaid is more than a safety net—it’s a proven investment in child well-being. Gutting it in this way will needlessly harm a generation of children. Preserving Medicaid isn’t just about health—it’s about securing a stronger, more stable future for all of us.”
Related Work
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- Case Name
- J.“E.”L. v. Charest
- Status
- Active
Children’s Rights, American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island, and Disability Rights Rhode Island filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of Medicaid-eligible children against the state of Rhode Island for denying them legally required and medically necessary mental health care. Without access to intensive home and community-based services, these children have been routinely segregated from their communities and placed in institutions—sometimes far from home—where they are unable to thrive, and they remain at serious risk of continued unnecessary isolation and institutionalization.
Child Health, Institutionalization, Government Accountability
- Case Name
- Ocean S. v. LA County
- Status
- Active
Seven young adults in the Los Angeles foster system filed this case against the California Department of Social Services, California Health and Human Services Agency, California Department of Health Care Services, Los Angeles County, the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, and the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health. Children’s Rights, along with co-counsel Alliance for Children’s Rights, Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP, and Public Counsel, is proud to join them.
Government Accountability, Child Health
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