The National Association of State Head Injury Administrators (NASHIA), with funding from The Grassroots Project, is pleased to share a new seven-part video series focused on Medicaid advocacy.
Medicaid policies can significantly affect whether people with brain injury can access the services and supports they need. However, the policymaking process can often feel complicated or difficult to navigate. This series makes advocacy more approachable by explaining key Medicaid issues, introducing practical ways to participate, and showing how lived experience and data can help influence decisions.
The videos emphasize an important message: You do not need to be a policy expert to be an effective advocate. Whether you share your story, submit public comments, participate on an advisory council, contact a legislator, or use data to raise awareness, your perspective can help shape better policies.
Special thanks to key contributors Eric Washington, a brain injury advocate, Derek Fales, Associate Director, Developmental Disabilities and Brain Injury Services in Maine, and Evan Folan, a brain injury advocate.
Video One: The Importance of Medicaid Advocacy for People with Brain Injury
The opening video explains why advocacy and the involvement of people with lived experience is essential to developing effective policies and programs. It also offers encouragement for viewers who are new to advocacy or unsure where to begin.
Video Two: Hot Topics in Medicaid That Need Your Advocacy
This video provides an overview of current pressures and policy developments that may affect Medicaid services for people with brain injury. It explains why Medicaid advocacy is especially important.
Video Three: Opportunities for Engagement in Medicaid Policy
Viewers are introduced to several ways to participate in advocacy, including submitting public comments, serving on advisory councils, and communicating directly with state leaders.
Video Four: How to Submit Successful Public Comments
This video explains how public comment periods work and how advocates can participate. It offers practical guidance for writing effective comments and combining personal experiences with clear recommendations.
Video Five: How to Participate in Advisory Councils
Advisory councils give people with lived experience, families, and community partners opportunities to influence policies and programs. This video explores Medicaid advisory groups, brain injury advisory councils, and other committees that help bring community perspectives into decision-making.
Video Six: How to Advocate Directly to State Legislatures
This video reviews ways to engage with state legislators, including meetings, testimony, written communications, public events, and social media. It also highlights the value of coordinating with state brain injury associations and other advocacy partners.
Video Seven: Using Data to Strengthen Advocacy
The final video explains how credible data can strengthen an advocacy message and demonstrate the broader importance of an issue. Viewers will learn how to combine clear, relevant statistics with lived experience to communicate both the scale and the human impact of a policy concern.
