Competency 5: Engage in Policy Practice

My policy analysis paper examining Medicaid coverage of gender-affirming care serves as an artifact demonstrating my ability to engage in policy practice. In this assignment, I analyzed how the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid policies shape access to gender-affirming healthcare for low-income transgender and nonbinary individuals. While federal nondiscrimination protections exist under Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, implementation varies widely across states, resulting in significant disparities in access to medically necessary care. Through this analysis, I examined how political decision-making, administrative guidance, and state-level interpretation of Medicaid policy influence whether transgender individuals can obtain healthcare that supports their mental health, safety, and overall wellbeing. Evaluating this policy required me to assess how social welfare policies affect service delivery and access to care through social justice, anti-racist, and anti-oppressive lenses .

This assignment strengthened my ability to critically analyze policy structures and develop recommendations that advance human rights and equitable access to services. Drawing on research about health outcomes, structural stigma, and economic inequality, I proposed policy reforms including establishing enforceable federal standards for Medicaid coverage of gender-affirming care and requiring cultural competency training for healthcare providers. These recommendations demonstrate how social workers can influence policy formulation and implementation to address systemic barriers affecting marginalized communities. Through this project, I developed a deeper understanding of how policy advocacy is an essential component of social work practice, particularly when working to ensure that healthcare systems uphold dignity, equity, and access for all individuals regardless of income, identity, or geographic location.Use a text section to describe your values, show more info, summarize a topic, or tell a story.