The Salazar Consent Decree Has Ended. Its Legacy Continues Through a New Settlement Agreement and Nonprofit Grant Opportunity.
On August 17, 2026, the Salazar v. District of Columbia consent decree came to an end, closing a landmark chapter in the effort to ensure that the District’s Medicaid program comports with federal law and that children and young adults enrolled in the District’s Medicaid program receive the services they need.
For more than three decades, Salazar helped drive improvements in the District’s Medicaid system, particularly with respect to the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit. Through years of advocacy and court oversight, the case reinforced the right of Medicaid-enrolled children to receive medically necessary services and helped improve the District’s ability to meet those obligations.
The conclusion of the consent decree marks the end of a significant chapter in Medicaid advocacy in the District, but it is not the end of the Salazar legacy. Effective August 17, 2026, the consent decree was replaced by a Settlement Agreement that provides a framework for the final resolution of the case and a transition away from court supervision through October 31, 2027.
A key component of the Settlement Agreement is the creation of a grant program funded through the remaining Salazar escrow funds. Through an upcoming competitive solicitation, those funds will be distributed among grantees selected from a designated group of 14 nonprofit organizations whose work advances access to health care, advocacy, outreach, education, and other critical supports for Medicaid-eligible children and their families. The grant opportunity represents an investment in the future of Medicaid advocacy in the District and seeks to ensure that the progress achieved through Salazar continues to improve access to care, services, and health outcomes for years to come. The list of the nonprofit organizations eligible to participate in the solicitation is available here:
Children's Law Center
DC Children's Advocacy Center
Catholic Charities
Advocates for Justice in Education
Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia
Latin American Youth Center
Bread for the City
Community of Hope
La Clínica del Pueblo
Unity Health Care, Inc.
Mary's Center for Maternal and Child Care, Inc.
Whitman-Walker Health
Elaine Ellis Center of Health
Family and Medical Counseling Service, Inc.
Our law firm and our co-counsel at the National Health Law Program (NHeLP) have been honored to participate in efforts to protect and advance the rights of Medicaid beneficiaries through the Salazar litigation and related advocacy. We are grateful to the families, advocates, providers, and community partners whose dedication and perseverance helped make the case a success. As this historic litigation has come to a close, its impact will continue through the work of the organizations and individuals committed to ensuring that Medicaid eligible children can obtain the health care and services they need to thrive.
Additional information about the grant solicitation, including eligibility requirements, application procedures, and deadlines, will be posted as it becomes available.