Profile Examines Medicaid Academy Programs in New Jersey and California

The Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) has released a profile examining their “Medicaid Academy” professional development programs. Titled Investing in People to Build State Medicaid Capacity, the report examines the evolution of these innovative learning programs and offers lessons for policymakers. The report finds that the programs are “timely innovations” in an era of increasing complexity and rapid changes for Medicaid.

Currently, CHCS runs “Medicaid Academy” programs in just two states—California and New Jersey. The New Jersey program, which is wholly funded by The Nicholson Foundation, aims to improve the state’s ability to better serve New Jersey’s 1.7 million Medicaid beneficiaries.

The programs are designed for mid-level Medicaid managers and provide participants with the opportunity to increase their knowledge of Medicaid. Participants learn about emerging national Medicaid trends; strengthen their personal leadership skills; and develop an understanding of innovative Medicaid program design (including approaches undertaken by other states).

New Jersey’s Medicaid Academy was launched at a particularly crucial time, as the state is developing a new Medicaid Waiver for 2017 (Medicaid Waivers provide states flexibility to test new or existing approaches to financing and delivering Medicaid). The curriculum for the NJMA was specifically developed to support the goals of the New Jersey Department of Human Services’ Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services (DMAHS) for improving innovations and efficiencies in the state’s Medicaid program.

Learn More:

Download the Full Profile from CHCS

Project Page on New Jersey Medicaid Academy