Fostering the Next Generation of Medicaid Leaders
Medicaid plays an essential role in expanding health care access, improving health outcomes, and advancing health equity for millions of people nationwide. However, few opportunities exist to develop the leadership capacity of senior Medicaid leaders, especially individuals with diverse and marginalized identities, background, and experiences. Supporting the leadership development of senior Medicaid staff, especially those with marginalized identities, is critical to creating a successful pipeline of future program leaders. When Medicaid leaders mirror the identities of Medicaid members, they may better understand their strengths, needs, and challenges.
The Medicaid Pathways Program, led by the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, is designed to strengthen the leadership capacity of senior Medicaid leaders. This nine-month leadership training program is designed for individuals who are new to Medicaid leadership roles and/or are interested in advancing to a more senior role in the future. The program is open to all but has a particular interest in leaders with marginalized identities, including Black, Indigenous, and people of color; people with disabilities; LGBTQ+ individuals; and individuals with lived experience with Medicaid or another publicly financed program (such as SNAP or TANF). Senior leaders eligible for the program include deputy- and executive-team level positions (e.g., deputy director, chief financial officer, chief medical officer) and senior managers (e.g., bureau/section/unit chiefs, policy directors).
The program is designed to:
- Strengthen participants’ skills so they can more effectively thrive in complex leadership roles;
- Facilitate the advancement of senior Medicaid leaders, including creating opportunities to support more diversity in leadership positions to reflect the communities served by Medicaid; and
- Build peer relationships and foster a network of Medicaid leaders for idea-sharing, problem-solving, and support.
Selected participants have the opportunity to:
- Apply a competency-based leadership model. Participants receive expert training that follows a competency-based leadership framework designed for senior executives working in the public sector.
- Engage in individualized coaching.Coaches work with participants to craft an individualized leadership development plan that includes personal development goals, activities to practice skills, and opportunities to apply new skills to the participants’ daily work.
- Discuss best practices in Medicaid leadership. Participants are exposed to Medicaid leaders and faculty to apply leadership concepts to real-world policy issues pertinent to leading Medicaid programs.
- Network with peers. Participants develop peer relationships and ongoing support networks that they can draw on throughout the program and beyond.
Now in its fourth year, 80 senior Medicaid agency leaders — representing 31 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico — have participated in this leadership training program since the program launched in 2021. Learn more about the participants.
Alumni Perspectives
“I didn’t see myself as having vision and never wanted to truly lead. Now I’m hungry to lead.
I never considered being a Medicaid director, but this group inspired me.“
– Lauryn Walker, Senior Consultant, Office of the Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Actuary, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (Class of 2022)
“The ability to normalize our collective challenges and share high-yield leadership skills were the most valuable components of the [Medicaid Pathways Program].”
– Mohammad Dar, Senior Medical Director at Massachusetts Medicaid (Class of 2022)
Project Resources
