Community-based organizations (CBOs) can play an important role in helping Medicaid agencies strengthen member input through the recently established Beneficiary Advisory Councils (BACs), which are required by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Because CBOs have deep community ties, they can help engage Medicaid members in ways that agencies are often not equipped to do. Their expertise includes developing targeted outreach strategies, building BAC member capacity, facilitating effective meetings, and promoting long-term BAC sustainability.

Through the Medicaid Beneficiary Advisory Council Learning Series, the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) supported seven states in refining or establishing their BACs, including partnering with CBOs to integrate member insights into BAC design and implementation. This tipsheet distills lessons from the series and highlights how CBO partners can meaningfully support BACs, including real-world examples and key considerations for effective Medicaid-CBO partnerships.