O U R W O R K P R O T E C T S C O M M U N I T I E S W H I L E C H A N G I N G L I V E S F O R T H E B E T T E R .
" Effective health care , particularly the treatment for substance abuse and certain mental health conditions , can reduce the likelihood that individuals under supervision will return to prison for new crimes or parole violations ."
- The Pew Charitable Trusts , " Managing Prison Health Care Spending "
| E F F E C T I V E H E A L T H C A R E R E S O U R C E S
Among the challenges that persons under supervision face is not having the resources to obtain the health care services they need to be successful in their communities .
Most people leaving prison have at least one chronic problem with physical health , mental health , or substance use . Historically , most people returning from prison lacked health insurance , impeding receipt of care for chronic health conditions and leading to high levels of emergency room use .
States , cities and counties have been exploring ways to get parolees covered by Medicaid and the health insurance exchanges before they leave prison to ensure that medical therapies continue without interruption when they return to their communities . Research shows that successful programs have at least three things in common :
Collaboration between Medicaid , corrections and other agencies ; Staff dedicated to connecting parolees with healthcare services ; and Timely initiation and approval of the application for coverage .
Provisions in the Affordable Care Act ( ACA ) allow many released prisoners to be eligible for free or subsidized health coverage . The option created an opportunity in many states to connect large numbers of returning individuals with health coverage .
| S T A T E A C T I O N P R O G R A M S A N D C O V E R A G E
Health problems make it harder to successfully reintegrate into the community after incarceration , which affects people ’ s ability to avoid offending and maintain employment , housing , family relationships , and sobriety .
We partner with local providers in our Community Coordinator sites to provide immediate access to medical screenings and tests . We ’ ve provided onsite health care fairs for blood pressure screening and medication , diabetes checks , mental health , dental , and general wellness .
We address the critical piece of insurance by ensuring through the Reentry Health Insurance Program Partnership ( RHIP ) that individuals who meet the following have access to coverage :
Any individual being released from jail , prison , halfway house , or a detention facility automatically qualifies for a Special Enrollment Period ( SEP ).
Individuals must enroll within 60 days of being released . RHIP is NOT an insurance company ; they simply qualify individuals with a SEP for financial subsidies to cover the cost of health insurance through the ACA .
Understanding how important it is to remove the barriers to health care , Community Coordinators ensure that every individual with whom they come in contact with and with whom meets the requirements is referred .