Improving Health and Safety as Youth and Young Adults Leave the Justice System: State Implementation of New Policies to Strengthen Continuity of Care at Reentry

The Health and Reentry Project highlights promising Medicaid policy changes that promote continuity of care for young people returning to their communities following incarceration. The changes will support reentry for young people who are eligible for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program by introducing them to services that would start 30 days before release and continue after release. The report discusses the impact of health care and coverage on individual and public health and safety and offers strategies for successful state implementation with initial examples from Massachusetts, New Mexico, and North Carolina.