Medicaid Finds New Partner in Justice

“We can’t just focus on what is happening in custody. We have to also make sure that we’re partnering with community partners to ensure that when people leave our custody, they have a continuity of services.” – Lieutenant Modeste, Public Information Officer, Alameda County Sheriff’s OfficeCollaboration between Medicaid and the criminal legal system can improve health care outcomes and advance health equity for justice-involved populations. In this new episode of the Medicaid Leadership Exchange podcast, we’re exploring how coordinating reentry and support services with community partners can improve the lives of people impacted by the justice system, and potentially help reduce rates of recidivism.

This episode is hosted by Gretchen Hammer, MPH, principal, Public Leadership Group and consultant, National Association of Medicaid Directors (NAMD). She is joined by Autumn Boylan, Deputy Director, Office of Strategic Partnerships, California Department of Health Care Services; Tya M. Modeste, Lieutenant Public Information Officer, Alameda County Sheriff’s Office; and Mark Larson, Senior Vice President, Leadership and Capacity Building, Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS).

The Medicaid Leadership Exchange podcast explores priority topics for Medicaid leaders and is developed by NAMD and CHCS through support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

State leaders across health, human services, and other agencies — including Medicaid, early childhood, public health, child welfare, among others — are uniquely positioned to develop programs and services that support the health and well-being of people in their state. Despite the shared goal of helping individuals and communities to thrive, however, agencies often operate in siloes or in misaligned ways that create challenges for the people they serve.

The Aligning State Systems for Improved Health and Well-Being Outcomes framework can serve as a practical guide for state leaders looking to better align state systems and improve health and well-being outcomes.