This column originally appeared in Michigan Advance.
At the Michigan League for Public Policy, we have been working since 1912 to improve public policy, including working on healthcare services, access and affordability. And this has been a big month for health issues and related data in Michigan.
On Aug. 8, the latest national KIDS COUNT rankings were released by our partners at the Annie E. Casey Foundation. And on Aug. 10, the League hosted a virtual event in collaboration with Consumers for Quality Care, ACCESS, the Grand Rapids African-American Health Institute, and the Community Mental Health Association of Michigan to explore the results of a newly released survey detailing how Michigan residents feel about their ability to access and receive quality and affordable healthcare in our state.
In the 2022 national KIDS COUNT Data Book, Michigan’s best national rank was 27th in Health, and the state was the fourth-best in the country for “children without health insurance,” meaning the state insures more kids than a majority of the nation. Michigan saw a 40% decline in the number of kids without health insurance from 2008-2012 to 2016-2020.
Year after year, Michigan stands out in children’s health and in making sure our kids have health insurance. But more work is still needed to increase health insurance coverage and reduce costs for all families.
The EPIC MRA/Impact survey we discussed in the virtual event noted several important points about mental health and Michigan voters’ related concerns, and this is another issue that is facing Michigan kids as well as adults.
The national KIDS COUNT Data Book noted that 13.5% of Michigan children ages 3-17 struggled with anxiety or depression in 2020. This rate was higher than the national average and higher than in 33 other states and the District of Columbia.
The state is making progress in addressing residents’ mental health needs, including $625 million in new investments for behavioral health funding and the healthcare workforce and $50 million for the Transforming Research into Action to Improve the Lives of Students (TRAILS) school mental health program received to expand services to more schools in the 2023 state budget. But there’s still much more that needs to be done to tackle this anxiety and depression crisis.
There are several other significant state and federal policies that directly connect to the concerns of Michigan voters and the needs of families and kids. Congress recently passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that included $64 billion for a three-year extension of the American Rescue Plan’s expansion of the premium tax credits that make ACA marketplace coverage more affordable for low, moderate, and middle-income households.
In our state, 271,000 Michiganders will benefit from the extension of Enhanced ACA Premium Tax Credits (Enhanced APTCs) and will be able to keep affordable healthcare coverage because of the IRA. And all Michiganders on Medicare stand to benefit from negotiation of drug prices and the $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs included in the IRA.
The League and others, including the Michigan Poverty Task Force, also continue to advocate for Michigan to insure 3,000 to 4,000 young people by using the Immigrant Children’s Health Improvement Act (ICHIA) option to waive the five-year waiting period for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for lawfully residing children and youth up to 21 years old.
From youth mental health and insurance coverage to out-of-pocket costs and access to services, health policy needs are clearly on the minds of Michigan kids, families and voters. These needs are also on the ballot, as the state and federal lawmakers we elect will be charged with tackling many of the above policy needs and more. The pandemic exposed many long-standing health needs. Our policymakers have largely risen to meet them, but that attention and momentum must continue well beyond the current health crisis if we’re going to curb or prevent future ones.
Jay Cutler joined the League in March 2026 as the Kids Count Senior Data Analyst, where he collects, analyzes, and prepares data for Kids Count in Michigan.
Danielle Taylor-Basemore joined the League as the Development Data and Stewardship Coordinator in June 2025. She brings with her five years of nonprofit experience with a special focus on community engagement, data visualization and strategic programming. Prior to joining the League, Danielle served as the Business District, Safety, and Digital Manager at Jefferson East, Inc.
Scott Preston is a Senior Policy Analyst with the Michigan League for Public Policy, where he leads the organization’s immigration and criminal justice reform portfolios. In the three years prior to joining the League, Scott facilitated the Southeast Michigan Refugee Collaborative and managed a small business economic development program at Global Detroit. His work included launching Michigan’s first Refugee Film Festival and building on a trusted connector model that linked marginalized communities with crucial resources. Scott’s work at the League is informed by his background in journalism and research. He spent four years covering the Syrian refugee crisis in the Middle East for publications such as The Economist, and later worked with unaccompanied refugee minors through Samaritas. Scott holds a master’s degree in international migration and public policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Kate Powers joined the League as the Chief Development Officer in February 2025. Prior to joining the League, Kate held leadership positions at many Michigan nonprofit organizations, most recently serving as the COO and Chief Development Officer of Ele’s Place. Kate has spent the bulk of her career in fundraising, with a short stint in the state Legislature as a legislative aide to members in both chambers. Kate is a graduate of Michigan State University’s James Madison College with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Relations and has a certificate in fundraising management from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. Additionally, Kate served on the East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education and is a past President of the Junior League of Lansing. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and her son and saving outfit of the day and home decor ideas on Pinterest. 
Nicholas Hess joined the League as the Fiscal Policy Analyst in September of 2024. In this role, Nicholas focuses on tax policy, government revenue, and their impact on working families and racial equity, including the effects of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC). Nicholas values the role that judicious fiscal policy can play in the improvement of people’s lives and the economy, alleviating inequities along the way.
Audrey Matusz joined the League as the Visual Communications Specialist in September 2024. She supports the team with implementing social media strategies and brainstorming creative ways to talk about public policy. She brings with her nearly a decade of experience in producing digital products for evidence-based social justice initiatives. 
Jacob Kaplan 
Donald Stuckey 
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
