By Farah Siddiqi
Ohio News Connection
Ohio’s child care system is under strain, and a new national report highlights how Medicaid helps support the workforce behind early childhood care, especially in rural communities.
Medicaid provides critical coverage for child care providers, many of whom are low-paid and often go without employer-based insurance.
Brittany Boulton, vice president of the policy and advocacy organization Groundwork Ohio, said it is especially vital for rural families.
“Cuts to Medicaid would make these problems far worse and leave thousands of Ohioans and rural families without access to coverage and care,” Boulton said.
A report by the Georgetown University Center on Children and Family Studies said 30% of children in rural Ohio rely on Medicaid for health coverage, placing the state among the top 10 nationally for rural child enrollment.
National experts warned access to health care is essential not only for children but also for those who care for them.
Daniel Hains, chief policy and professional advancement officer for the National Association for the Education of Young Children, said there is a clear link between health coverage and workforce stability. He noted about 16% of early educators lack insurance, and those who do have coverage are more likely to stay in the field.
“We need more highly qualified, well-supported, well-compensated early childhood educators, with 25-plus percent of early childhood educators relying on Medicaid for their own health insurance,” Hains said.
Ohio’s child care sector has lost nearly 6,000 workers since the pandemic began, and Groundwork Ohio said access to Medicaid helps retain educators in a field facing critical staffing shortages.
Pictured at top: Ohio ranks eighth nationally in the number of children in rural communities who rely on Medicaid for health coverage, with 30% of rural kids enrolled. (Adobe Stock)