CSuE2 - Health Centers Role in Facilitating Healthy Transitions Out of Incarceration: Policy Change, Best Practices, and Innovations

Groundbreaking changes to Medicaid's role in covering services for incarcerated people are now going into effect thanks to both state and federal policy changes. In the context of Medicaid's changing role, Health Centers are positioned as a critical partner to help ensure access to high-quality, culturally competent, integrated care--before, during and after a person returns to the community from incarceration. The Health and Reentry Project (HARP) works to advance public health and public safety by building bridges between the health and criminal justice sectors, with the north star of meeting the unmet health needs for people who experience incarceration.

In April, HARP's co-founder and former NACHC Director of Federal Affairs John Sawyer led the publication of a Commonwealth Fund Issue Brief "Essential Connections: Community Health Centers' Role in Facilitating Healthy Transitions Out of Incarceration." The brief examined current practices and keys to success among Health Centers serving currently and formerly incarcerated populations; examined barriers facing Health Centers working to serve this population; and made policy recommendations to open the way to a larger role for Health Centers as key partners and innovators in reentry care. Many of these recommendations are under consideration by HRSA for possible future guidance and funding.

The session will examine the different ways Health Centers can engage people at reentry, how to position your Health Center as a key partner at the state and local level, and give the latest policy developments from CMS, HRSA and States driving progress in this arena.