Health Reform and Public Safety

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New Opportunities, Better Outcomes

Research shows that there are a disproportionate number of justice involved individuals suffering from chronic illness and/ or mental health and substance abuse disorders. We also know that a majority of the justice-involved individuals are young adults and unemployed or earn an income that is well below the federal poverty line leaving them without the ability to obtain health care. There is now an opportunity to enhance collaboration between the criminal justice/corrections and healthcare systems. Early estimates indicate a significant number of justice-involved individuals may be eligible for provisions under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), specifically; enrollment in Medicaid or the ability to purchase health care coverage through state health insurance exchanges. Because of the many health care expansion possibilities for this population we are witnessing an unprecedented opportunity to help connect the justice population to healthcare coverage and the associated healthcare services.

Federal, state and local criminal justice systems are poised to change the way they do business with the advent of the ACA. It is now possible for millions of low income, justice- involved individuals to obtain healthcare or insurance coverage for their physical and behavioral health needs. This far reaching system change will impact every decision point in the criminal justice system from arrest to individuals returning to the community upon release.

Presented on June 18, 2014, this program informed and increased awareness around this historic healthcare expansion opportunity. The broadcast highlighted promising practices by providing resources and strategies to expand healthcare coverage to justice-involved individuals. During this national discussion and broadcast by the National Institute of Corrections, presenters:

Videos

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  • Introduction

  • Segment 1: An Overview of Healthcare Reform

  • Segment 2: Strategies For Putting These Opportunities to Work

  • Segment 3: Collaboration

  • Segment 4: The Enrollment Process

  • Segment 5: All About Outcomes

Documents

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Participant Guide

Program Objectives

  • Establish relevance of the Affordable Care Act to the criminal justice system and profession.
  • Present additional health care resources created by the ACA and related federal policies.
  • Provide strategies for collaboration and system-wide linkages between the criminal justice and health care systems.

Mapping the Criminal Justice System to Connect Justice-Involved Individuals with Treatment and Health Care under the Affordable Care Act

By working together to build a visual portrait of how individuals progress through the criminal justice system, health and justice stakeholders gain better understanding of their respective policies and practices. In addition, mapping allows jurisdictions to consider decision points throughout the entire criminal justice system when exploring opportunities to enroll criminal justice-involved individuals in insurance coverage. This guide is for states and local jurisdictions interested in using system mapping to maximize opportunities for criminal justice and health care system integration and efficiency through the ACA " (p. 3).

Sections comprising this document include: the Affordable Care Act (ACA) at a glance; the need for a systems mapping process; the NIC Sample Decision Points Map; and the seven steps of the criminal justice/ACA mapping process. "General health and behavioral health issues with criminal justice-involved individuals intersect. Hence, it is critical that the needs of the population are considered as jurisdictions develop policies and processes to implement the ACA at state and local levels.

Bringing together stakeholders from criminal justice, health care, and behavioral health care systems for dialogue around these issues builds increased understanding and collaboration across systems. Using the ACA to do a better job of delivering health care and behavioral health care services to this population not only improves the health of our communities, but makes them safer" (p. 11).

Appendixes provide: Sample Intercept Map for ACA Eligibility/Enrollment Priorities; Completed Intercept Map for ACA Eligibility/Enrollment Priorities in Connecticut; and Action Plan Template.

For additional information on this topic contact NIC Correctional Program Specialist Katie Green at k2green@bop.gov.

Decision Map

Healthcare Enrollment Intercepts in the Criminal Justice System

  Read the Sample Decision Points

Webinars

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  • Health Literacy: Enhancing Access to Health Care for Justice-Involved Individuals

  • Eligibility and Enrollment How Does this Actually Work

  • Medicaid Administrative Claiming and Targeted Case Management: Opportunities for Public Safety

Help

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