O P I N I O N

THE SOAPBOX

Stand up. Speak up. It’s your turn.

There’s still time. New Hampshire can still apply to join 27 other states participating in the Medicaid Direct Certification Project. This project has streamlined the process of certifying eligible children for free school meals and made it fairer. It connects the millions of children who live in households that participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to free school meals through direct certification. In doing so, the project guarantees several benefits: first, families avoid having to complete school meal applications; second, schools no longer have to process those reams of paperwork; and, finally, more eligible children are provided the free school meals they need.

Simply put, Medicaid Direct Certification (MDC) would greatly benefit our children. The current process for school meal applications is cumbersome and undercounts the number of students eligible for free and reduced school meals. Medicaid Direct Certification would reduce administrative costs related to these applications while also increasing funding vital to feeding our students.

You might wonder, why such urgency? Well, during the pandemic, the federal government provided funding for universal free school meals. But now that provision has ended and, understandably, the push to re-start and collect paperwork from families has struggled to reach an accurate count, meaning that many children who are actually eligible for free school meals will not receive them.

This is a non-partisan issue: Many states already participate in MDC, from California, New York, and Pennsylvania, to Kentucky, West Virginia, and Alabama. Evidence from these states demonstrates MDC’s effectiveness: MDC improves low-income students’ access to nutritious meals, while decreasing state administrative costs. Like these states, New Hampshire would benefit greatly from adopting MDC.

The Manchester Board of School Committee has already called for the state to apply for MDC. Governor Sununu and Education Commissioner Edelblut—time is running out to help our neediest children. Please apply for the Medicaid Direct Certification Project by the September 30 deadline. The program is there to help us and would be a win-win for NH and our students.

Beg to differ? Agree to disagree? Your thoughtful commentary on topics of general interest are welcome. Send to publisher@manchesterinklink.com for consideration.