Nov 5, 2026 – By Amara Lang Clayton, Marketing Conference & Event Planner From October 21—23, 2026, Medicaid directors from across the nation and U.S. territories convened at the National Association of Medicaid Directors (NAMD) 2026 Conference. The conference featured programming on major policy and operational priorities, including 1115 waivers, children's behavioral health, duals integration, technology modernization efforts, and more. Against the backdrop of H.R. 1 implementation, directors were working through community engagement requirements, provider taxes, state-directed payments, and eligibility changes as January 1, 2027, approached. Across these discussions, a common theme emerged: meaningful progress depends on trust, transparency, and collaboration among states, providers, community organizations, and federal partners. Using Collaboration to Strengthen Medicaid One of the strongest takeaways was that collaboration will play a defining role in the future of Medicaid. Whether the focus is fraud prevention, children’s behavioral health, technology modernization, rural health care access, pharmacy costs, or managed care oversight, lasting progress depends on sustained, two-way engagement among states, federal partners, providers, community organizations, families, and Medicaid beneficiaries. This means listening to stakeholder perspectives, incorporating feedback into policy and implementation, and maintaining open communication and shared accountability throughout the process. In the session, Building Children’s Behavioral Health by Design, speakers highlighted the importance of this collaborative approach. As more children experience mental, emotional, and behavioral health challenges, states are working to better align Medicaid, behavioral health, education, child welfare, and community-based support systems. Expanding home- and community-based services, strengthening early intervention, and improving crisis response can help support children and families before