According to a new report from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and Mathematica Policy Research, advocacy organizations in twelve states have reduced the number of uninsured children over the past four years.

You can read the full report here or get a good summary here, thanks to the Georgetown Center for Children and Families.

Despite a severe recession, ever-more polarized government, and a country divided over the idea of health care reform, organizations including Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families have rolled with the punches to continue the push for all children to have health coverage. With the help of grants from the Packard Foundation, Arkansas moved toward the Finish Line by helping thousands more children get coverage through ARKids First.

This evaluation highlights some of the strategies that were successful when navigating an unpredictable path to policy change. With the help of technical assistance from the policy wonks at the Georgetown Center for Children and Families and communication experts at Spitfire Strategies, “grantees adapted their advocacy techniques to respond effectively to the unprecedented changes seen in the children’s coverage policy landscape over the past several years. The findings confirm the continued importance of the strategies described in the two briefs developed earlier in this project and highlight the ways advocates effectively adapted these strategies to navigate the changing environment.”

Strong relationships, new partnerships, expanded policy research, new areas of expertise (such as the Affordable Care Act), unique strategies for driving policy change, and effective communication helped Arkansas and other states highlight the importance of covering all kids. Check out the report to see great stories and quotes about AACF’s work!