Nov, 21, 2025

State Health Updates

  • California – Governor Gavin Newsom announced $145.5 million in awards to organizations across the state to support specialized, community-based services. The awards are part of the Providing Access and Transforming Health (PATH) Capacity and Infrastructure, Transition, Expansion, and Development (CITED) initiative, which helps local providers grow their ability to deliver whole-person, community-based care. These investments support services and programs, including in-person care coordination, housing support, and other vital resources.
  • Illinois – Governor JB Pritzker announced that the Illinois Medical Debt Relief Program has erased nearly $430 million in medical debt during its first year, benefitting 357,800 Illinoisans across all 102 counties. To date, Illinois has allocated approximately $2.8 million of the $15 million reappropriation in the fiscal year 2026 state budget for medical debt forgiveness. SHVS has updated our expert perspective tracking state medical debt cancellation efforts.
  • Indiana – The Indiana Department of Health hosted a working group meeting to provide an overview of the state’s RHTP application. Agenda items included an overview of the timeline and governance structure, as well as application initiatives and key priorities, including a plan for the state to distribute regional grants that mirror the RHTP at the state level. 
  • Kentucky – Governor Andy Beshear announced that four additional Kentucky counties have been certified as Recovery Ready Communities, expanding access to assistance for substance-use disorders (SUD) for 219,000 Kentuckians. The Recovery Ready Communities Certification Program offers local officials, recovery advocates, and citizens the opportunity to evaluate their community’s current SUD treatment programs and interventions in a framework that is designed to maximize positive public health outcomes among Kentuckians suffering from SUD.
  • Louisiana – The Louisiana Department of Health will host a webinar on December 4 to provide a summary of the state’s RHTP application. Details on the key initiatives and strategies, policy updates, and next steps will be provided.
  • Massachusetts – The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) has issued a new standing order authorizing qualified health personnel in local boards of health to administer the influenza vaccine to eligible individuals this respiratory virus season, based on DPH’s recommendations.
  • Michigan
    • The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announced the launch of a competitive procurement for the Healthy Kids Dental contract. Healthy Kids Dental is a dental benefit program for children with Medicaid and covers dental services such as X-rays, cleanings, fillings, extractions, sealants and more at no cost to families. 
    • MDHHS announced it now has more than 1,000 doulas on the MDHHS Doula Registry, having doubled the state’s goal to reach 500 registered doulas by 2028. More than 700 of these doulas have become Medicaid-enrolled providers, ensuring families in every Michigan county have access to at least one doula serving Medicaid-eligible families.
  • New Jersey – The New Jersey Department of Health has launched a coordinated effort to enhance availability and access to COVID-19 and flu vaccines for those who want to receive them. Pediatric COVID and flu vaccine clinics will be hosted at a wide range of locations across the state for children ages six months and older. These clinics will provide no-cost vaccinations, regardless of insurance status.
  • North Carolina – The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has released A Statewide Call to Action to Reduce Cancer in North Carolina: 2025-2030 North Carolina Cancer Plan to address the complex factors and impacts of cancer that affect North Carolinians. The plan emphasizes reducing disparities among underserved and rural communities that experience higher rates of cancer, disability and death.
  • Ohio – Governor Mike DeWine announced that immediate in-person help for youth experiencing a behavioral health crisis is now operating statewide in all 88 counties. Prior to this expansion, the Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS) program was only available in 56 Ohio counties. MRSS is available at no cost for children and young adults aged 20 and under who are experiencing mental, emotional, or behavioral distress.
  • Oklahoma – The Oklahoma State Department of Health is seeking to hire a director for its Rural Health Transformation Program. The director will oversee all aspects of program implementation, evaluation, and stakeholder engagement to ensure the program’s goals are met on time and within budget.
  • Oregon – The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services’ Division of Financial Regulation (DFR) will be hosting a public hearing on prescription drug prices on December 4. The Division created a survey for consumers to share their stories about rising prescription drug prices and DFR has invited speakers to talk about biosimilars and their marketing and challenges and ideas for financing drugs that create issues for traditional insurance financing models.
  • Massachusetts, Maine and New Mexico – As open enrollment continues, SHVS has updated our expert perspective tracking 2026 State-Based Marketplace open enrollment data. Three additional states, Massachusetts, Maine and New Mexico, are now reporting this information and SHADAC will continue to update the tracker throughout open enrollment.