G-2301-17720

Alabama Arise is a statewide non-partisan coalition of 150 congregations, nonprofits and civic organizations seeking to improve quality of life for Alabamians. Their theory of change is that people from every community must be engaged in the state and federal policy-making process to effect real and lasting change. Alabama Arise also operates the Cover Alabama Coalition, a group of partners that builds broad-based support for Medicaid Expansion through convening and community organizing.

Alabama Arise was a new partner of CareQuest Institute last year. In 2022, CareQuest Institute funding allowed Alabama Arise to advocate for Medicaid Expansion in Alabama, build a base of community advocates through grassroots organizing and lay the groundwork for oral healthcare advocacy in Alabama. In the funding year, Alabama Arise had the opportunity to participate in 1:1 and group CareQuest Institute-funded technical assistance around oral health advocacy and engagement with Community Catalyst, which will inform their oral health advocacy strategies moving forward. A major milestone of the grant year was to expand post-partum coverage in Alabama from 60 days to one year, and the addition of dental benefits to this coverage package.

In 2023, Alabama Arise’s work will utilize their community-centered approach to advance two policy opportunities in 2023. First, they will continue the work to organize community around Medicaid Expansion in Alabama. Expanding Medicaid in Alabama would provide coverage to 340,000 low-income individuals who currently fall in Medicaid Coverage gaps. This work builds on foundational efforts in the past year building the evidence base for Medicaid cost-savings through a report titled Medicaid Matters, and arming community advocates with county-specific health disparity data to advocate for Medicaid Expansion among policymakers.

Secondly, Alabama Arise will leverage the Alabama Coordinated Health Network Consumer Advisory Committee to identify administrative opportunities to improve quality of care in Medicaid, including opportunities to promote coverage, delivery and integration of oral health services. The group will review administrative rules, regulations and mandate within Medicaid and seek out specific opportunities to advance oral health access including telehealth coverage rules and medical/dental integration opportunities.

Key activities for this work will be support for legislative staff introducing and advocating for a Medicaid Expansion bill, development of fact sheets for community advocate use, community organizing and conversations around Medicaid Expansion, relaunching the Alabama Coordinated Health Network Consumer Advisory Committee and building their capacity around health care and oral health care advocacy, and advocacy for administrative improvements to Medicaid in health care and oral health care delivery.

Underpinning all these activities, the staff will continue to expand oral health knowledge and capacity within the organization by participating in oral health policy technical assistance with Community Catalyst and CareQuest Institute learning communities.

The budget for this proposal is $148,500, which represents 7% of the organization’s overall budget. Approximately $125,000 of the budget is allocated toward staff time for project leadership and community organizers. The remainder of the budget is allocated for meeting-related travel and indirect expenses.