Public service announcements – commonly known as PSAs – come in various forms, though all share the same purpose: providing important information to the public. Typically, broadcast PSAs are aired by media outlets in the community at no cost; radio and TV PSAs can be an incredible tool to spread the word about invaluable programs such as Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and to help get eligible children and teens (and even whole families) enrolled. Other examples include advertising in print, billboards, or digital signage. For years, the Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign’s PSAs have raised awareness about the benefits of Medicaid and CHIP with a call to action to visit InsureKidsNow.gov or call 1-877-KIDS-NOW for additional information.
The Campaign’s suite of PSA resources help further this mission, from fully produced TV and radio spots to customizable live-read scripts. These resources can be used by organizations so long as they are on donated space, making it a free way to get coverage of the announcements. We encourage you to check out our full suite of PSA resources to motivate families to apply for Medicaid or CHIP to ensure children receive the health coverage they need to stay healthy.
If you would like to incorporate PSAs into your outreach, our 10 Tips for Putting Public Service Announcements to Work is a great starting point. The Campaign’s sample pitch letter (available in English and Spanish) is a template to initiate contact with radio and/or TV stations in your community. For ready-to-use PSAs, check out the Campaign’s “Peace of Mind” spots, available in English and Spanish as 30-second radio and 30- and 15-second TV PSAs at InsureKidsNow.gov. While the PSAs were developed for turnkey use, we also offer live-reads on the Outreach Tool Library that your organization can customize and share with local radio stations.
Radio and TV are not the only ways to get the word out. Another way to enhance your organization’s outreach is to share the Campaign’s digital videos! These videos are non-traditional PSAs that are great to use on your website, social media channels, or as digital signage displaying on a variety of screens. The videos cover a variety of topics related to Medicaid and CHIP and include three videos that focus on oral health, making them perfect for National Children’s Dental Health Month outreach in February and beyond.
Mark Your Calendars: National Children’s Dental Health Month
February is National Children’s Dental Health Month, an opportune time to remind families about important dental services covered under Medicaid and CHIP. Dental care is part of health care and the covered benefits for children up to age 19 under Medicaid and CHIP include check-ups, x-rays, fluoride treatments, dental sealants, and fillings, among others. Check out our animated Campaign videos and remember to share on social media, post on websites, and more!
- “Take Care of Teeth” video in English and Spanish to remind families to schedule regular visits to the dentist for their child every six months to help kids maintain good oral health
- “Smiles for School” video in English and Spanish to educate parents and caregivers on the impact that good oral health has on children during the school year
- “Dental Health” video in English and Spanish to inform parents and caregivers of the dental benefits that Medicaid and CHIP offer
Be sure to explore our full suite of dental health resources on the Oral Health Initiative page, which include sample social media posts, eNewsletter templates, posters, palm cards, and more!
Upcoming Webinar – Supporting Smiles: Promoting Childhood Dental Benefits Covered Under Medicaid and CHIP
The Campaign is hosting a webinar on February 15 from 2:00 – 3:30 PM EST, featuring new data on oral health trends among children, best practices to get families enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP to access dental health care, and new Campaign resources available on InsureKidsNow.gov to help get kids enrolled and encourage the use of benefits. Sign up for the webinar today!
Available Now – Pediatric Vaccine Webinar Recording
Thank you to all who attended our Pediatric Vaccine Webinar on December 9!
This webinar, held during National Influenza Vaccination Week, was hosted in collaboration with the CMS Office of Minority Health. Speakers discussed childhood vaccinations and newly released recommendations on the COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11, federal COVID-19 resources, flu shot information, and more.
The webinar also highlighted community case studies with examples and resources to promote vaccine equity. If you were unable to join the webinar, the slides and a transcript of the presentation are available at InsureKidsNow.gov.
New Funding Opportunity – Applications Due March 28!
On January 27 CMS committed a record $49.4 million to fund organizations that can connect more eligible children, parents, and pregnant individuals to health care coverage through Medicaid and CHIP. Awardees—including state/local governments, tribal organizations, federal health safety net organizations, non-profits, schools, and others—will receive up to $1.5 million each for a three-year period to reduce the number of uninsured children by advancing Medicaid/CHIP enrollment and retention. This notice of funding opportunity leverages the Connecting Kids to Coverage program to continue making health care more accessible and affordable. Funded organizations will provide enrollment and renewal assistance to children and their families, as well as pregnant people—a new optional target population in this year’s award announcement.
Applications will be accepted through March 28, 2022. For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=337485.
Current & Upcoming Observances:
- National Children’s Dental Health Month (February)
- American Heart Month (February)
- Give Kids A Smile Day (2/4)
- National Toothache Day (2/9)
- Valentine’s Day (2/14)
Stay Connected with the Campaign
- Share our Campaign materials. Our ever-growing, multi-lingual Outreach Tool Library features a variety of targeted resources to use in your outreach and enrollment efforts, available in multiple formats.
- Contact us. To get more involved with the Campaign, contact us via email at ConnectingKids@cms.hhs.gov.
- Follow the Campaign on Twitter. Remember to re-tweet or share our messages from @IKNGov with your social network and be sure to use our #Enroll365 and #KidsEnroll hashtags in your posts.
Subscribe to the “Campaign Notes” eNewsletter
The Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign eNewsletter “Campaign Notes” is distributed throughout the year and provides updates on Campaign activities. If a friend or colleague forwarded this email to you, we invite you to sign up to receive this eNewsletter directly to your inbox.