Back to School

Back to School 2024

The Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) launches its 23rd annual Back to School campaign. We want all students and parents to know about Virginia’s free health coverage through Cardinal Care (Virginia’s Medicaid and FAMIS programs).

The 2024 Back to School flyers are available to all public schools across the Commonwealth. We ask that schools distribute flyers at Back to School night, share them with community organizations, and distribute them throughout the school year.

2024 Back to School Flyer Image

2024 Back to School Flyer (AVAILABLE AUGUST)

Printed flyers will be sent to each school. Additional flyers can be ordered at no charge from the Materials page or by emailing CoverVirginia@dmas.virginia.gov.

2024 BTS Principals Letter Image

2024 Letter to School Principals

[PDF] English

Additional Resources for Schools

New messaging materials are available, making it easier to share information about Cardinal Care on social media and through other digital communication platforms. In addition to the flyer, digital resources, social media posts, graphics, scripts for automated calling systems and more can be downloaded for free!

Schools can share this information by doing one or all of the following:

Distribute flyers at Back to School Night and at other school events.
Include flyers in return to school, virtual learning and new student enrollment packets.
Share digital resources with parents and guardians through digital correspondence platforms.
Share the information and resources with the PTA/PTO.
Add a link to the Back to School webpage to the school website.
Distribute an automated calling message (i.e. Robo Call).
Distribute via SMS or social media platforms.

Please also share these resources with key staff such as the McKinney-Vento homeless liaisons, school nurses, nutrition program supervisors, enrollment coordinators, social workers, and Medicaid coordinators.

Medicaid outreach is a claimable activity for school divisions that participate in the Medicaid and Schools billing program. These school divisions can get reimbursed for time spend educating families about Cardinal Care.

For parents and guardians

It’s more important than ever to know you and your children are covered! We want to make it easy to learn about and sign up for Cardinal Care.

You can find out who qualifies for coverage and learn about Cardinal Care benefits on the Cover Virginia Learn page. If you think you and/or your children may qualify, you can use the Eligibility Screening Tool and answer five easy questions. You can also apply any time at Apply.

Help spread the word about Cardinal Care. Tell your neighbors, friends, and family about all the great services covered by Cardinal Care. These include well checkups, doctor visits, mental health care, vaccinations, vision and dental care, prescriptions, and more.

Application and Service Support

DMAS encourages school personnel, community-based organizations, and individuals to connect with the Virginia Department of Education for additional information about Medicaid & Schools. Anyone interested in learning more about Medicaid eligibility and how to help eligible families enroll in and benefit from Virginia’s health coverage programs can sign up for a SignUpNow (SUN) training workshops.

Need help?

Contact us at CoverVirginia@dmas.virginia.gov if you have questions about the Back to School Campaign, need additional resources, or want help with community outreach and engagement.

For questions, additional help, or language assistance services or large-print, please call Cover Virginia at 833-5CALLVA (TDD: 1-888-221-1590) or send an email to: CoverVirginia@dmas.virginia.gov.