Every April the U. S. Division of Well being and Human Companies (HHS) honors Second Likelihood Month, the place we acknowledge the significance of supporting the profitable reentry of the lots of of hundreds of people returning to their communities from jail yearly and the numerous extra getting back from jail.1 Second Likelihood Month is a vital time to elevate up and encourage federal, state, native, and tribal governments and community-based organizations to proceed working to deal with the boundaries confronted by our returning neighborhood members. The Biden-Administration has prioritized intervention fashions to help these getting back from incarceration to find success comparable to by funding and selling job coaching, substance use and psychological well being companies, entry to well being care, and extra.2
Inside HHS, we acknowledge the significance of our work within the reentry course of, by supporting the well being and well-being of returning neighborhood members and their households. This consists of working to deal with the elevated danger of demise and overdose3 upon launch and in aiding reunifying households. Whereas not as generally related to HHS, homelessness is one other key problem needing to be addressed for these getting back from incarceration, as people who’ve been incarcerated are nearly ten occasions extra more likely to expertise homelessness than most people.4 Secretary Becerra has championed these administrative priorities and because the present Chair of the US Interagency Council on Homeless (USICH), homelessness prevention for returning neighborhood members is among the populations he’s specializing in as being notably prone to housing challenges.
At HHS, we additionally acknowledge {that a} essential element of our work on this space is listening to from these immediately affected by incarceration to assist inform our coverage and program selections. Within the Workplace of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Analysis, I’m proud to say that we’ve not solely investigated and printed methods for doing this, however we’ve additionally carried out these practices into our personal work. For instance, when convening our Medicaid Reentry Stakeholder Group to tell the design of a Medicaid demonstration alternative targeted on bettering care transitions for people pre-release, we made positive to incorporate people who had skilled incarceration within the group.
Internally, ASPE and HHS have been working to teach our employees on reentry points by a yearlong set of studying periods. Our hope is that by these studying periods all HHS staff may have the chance to be taught concerning the reentry course of, sources which can be already obtainable, and the right way to take into account this inhabitants of their work. Whereas these are inner trainings, their advantages might be far reaching. Others throughout HHS are additionally participating in their very own agency-specific efforts to boost consciousness for Second Likelihood Month. For instance, the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention’s Nationwide Middle for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention is internet hosting a number of occasions for his or her employees together with a reentry simulation, audio system with lived expertise with incarceration, and a website go to to an area reentry facility.
HHS can also be taking motion to satisfy the precise wants of these reentering the neighborhood. This consists of the launch of the brand new Medicaid demonstration alternative, with California turning into the primary state to cowl sure well being care companies pre-release for people transitioning again to their communities and different states following. Moreover, the Well being Assets and Companies Administration (HRSA) has introduced the provision of $51 million for the first-ever funding alternative for HRSA-funded well being facilities to implement progressive approaches to assist transitions in take care of folks leaving incarceration. HRSA has additionally up to date coverage to clarify that well being facilities can present well being companies to incarcerated people who’re anticipated to be or are scheduled for launch from a carceral setting inside 90 days to assist guarantee continuity of care.
Whereas there may be a lot work to be finished, we’re excited and hopeful at these investments within the reentering inhabitants from each degree of the federal authorities.5
Endnotes
1 https://bjs.ojp.gov/doc/p22st.pdf; https://www.prisonpolicy.org/weblog/2024/02/28/releases-sex-state/
2 https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2024/03/29/a-proclamation-on-second-chance-month-2024/
3 Binswanger, Ingrid A., Marc F. Stern, Richard A. Deyo, Patrick J. Heagerty, Allen Cheadle, Joann G. Elmore, and Thomas D. Koepsell. “Launch from jail—a excessive danger of demise for former inmates.” New England Journal of Medication 356, no. 2 (2007): 157-165.; Patterson, Evelyn J. “The dose–response of time served in jail on mortality: New York State, 1989–2003.” American Journal of Public Well being 103, no. 3 (2013): 523-528.
4 https://www.prisonpolicy.org/experiences/housing.html
5 Hyperlinks and references to info from non-governmental organizations is offered for informational functions and isn’t an HHS endorsement, suggestion, or choice for the non-governmental organizations.
