City and municipal leaders play an important role in helping to reach and enroll eligible children in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The City of Hattiesburg, Mississippi was one of eight grantees of the National League of Cities' Cities Expanding Health Access for Children and Families Initiative, working closely with Hattiesburg Mayor Johnny DuPree, the University of Southern Mississippi (USM), and other local leaders and partners to connect eligible but unenrolled families to coverage. Later awarded a CMS Connecting Kids to Coverage grant, USM has been building on the efforts started with the city and NLC by continuing to collaborate with local leaders to disseminate educational materials, help inform families about health coverage options, and connect eligible but unenrolled families to coverage.
