This op-ed was written by CEO and President of Waypoint, Borja Alvarez de Toledo and was originally published in the New Hampshire Bulletin. You can find the original piece here.
When a child walks through our doors at Waypoint, we don’t just see a case file — we see a future. One that could be bright if that child has the necessary tools they need to grow up healthy, safe, and strong. One of the most powerful tools we have to make that future possible is Medicaid and its expansion through the Granite Advantage Program.
Right now, that critical lifeline is at risk.
At Waypoint, we work every day with families facing poverty, trauma, and mental health challenges. We see firsthand how access to Medicaid transforms lives — not just for children, but for entire families. It’s no exaggeration to say that Medicaid is one of the most important investments we can make to ensure New Hampshire’s children grow up healthy, stable, and ready to succeed.
Medicaid’s impact starts before a child even takes their first breath. Last year, almost a quarter (22%) of births in New Hampshire were covered by Medicaid, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation report. That coverage means access to prenatal care that reduces complications and improves birth outcomes leading to healthier babies and mothers.
And the support doesn’t end there. Today, roughly 1 in 4 children in New Hampshire is enrolled in Medicaid, making children the largest group Medicaid serves. It covers doctor visits, dental and vision care, immunizations, mental health services, and critical care for children with complex needs or a history of trauma. For children in foster care, Medicaid is a guarantee — offering stability to those who need it most.
Yet the state budget bill now being considered by the New Hampshire Legislature proposes drastic changes to the Medicaid and other programs that are unnecessary, concerning and potentially damaging to the health of children and families. The House-approved budget includes a 3% rate cut to Medicaid providers along with reductions in funding for mental health, community health, and public health programs. It would even eliminate the Office of the Child Advocate, a critical partner to our staff who rely on that office for independent oversight in complex and high-risk cases involving child safety.
Beyond the budget, a proposal to impose a work requirement for adults in the Granite Advantage Program would very likely cut off access to care for many current enrollees, because of the administrative burdens it will impose. And Medicaid cuts under consideration at the federal level could eliminate Granite Advantage entirely, forcing all 60,000 individuals on the program to lose their health insurance coverage.
And when parents lose coverage, children suffer. Research consistently shows that children are more likely to be insured and receive regular checkups and timely care when their parents have access to health insurance.
Medicaid is also a shield against financial disaster. By covering essential services and reducing out-of-pocket costs, Medicaid helps families stay afloat. Without it, an unexpected illness can become a life-altering crisis. Families risk losing their homes. Parents can lose their jobs. And children — caught in the storm — lose their safety, support, and stability.
Medicaid and the Granite Advantage Program are also one of our most effective tools in addressing the growing mental health crisis. New Hampshire has some of the highest rates of childhood behavioral and mental health disorders in the country. Untreated mental health conditions in parents are linked to poor developmental outcomes for children. Medicaid helps break this cycle by ensuring access to mental health care for both parents and kids, supporting more resilient and healthier families.
The evidence is clear: traditional Medicaid and the Granite Advantage Program are a game-changer for New Hampshire’s children. We cannot afford to lose or limit the benefits Medicaid provides to our New Hampshire children and families. We should be strengthening the systems that help families weather life’s storms, not reducing them when they are most needed.
In New Hampshire, we pride ourselves on being a place where families come first. We say we value our children. But values mean nothing without action — especially when the well-being of our kids is on the line.
So, we must ask ourselves: What kind of New Hampshire do we want to be? A place where every child has a chance to thrive? Or one that turns its back on its most vulnerable?
Let’s choose the healthier path forward. Let’s invest in New Hampshire’s children by supporting Medicaid and the Granite Advantage Program.
