Webinar: What Youth Justice Leaders Should Know About Medicaid
On Tuesday, July 29, the Annie E. Casey Foundation hosted What Youth Justice Leaders Should Know About Medicaid. The session provided guidance on using Medicaid to support youth — under age 21 — involved in the justice system from prevention and diversion through incarceration and reentry.
Learn About Medicaid for youth leaving detention or incarceration
The webinar was designed for leaders and staff who work with youth involved in the justice system, including those employed by:
- community-based organizations;
- juvenile justice institutions;
- adult jails and prisons where youth may be held;
- managed care organizations;
- providers of medical and behavioral health services; and
- state Medicaid, behavioral health and child welfare agencies.
Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment
The session clarified how Medicaid benefits connect across the care continuum, including:
- the services guaranteed under the federally mandated Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT);
- the intersection between EPSDT and the new federal requirements (effective Jan. 1, 2025) for providing health care to youth re-entering communities from incarceration; and
- strategies for using Medicaid to limit and prevent justice-system involvement and ensure continuity of care during reentry.
“I’ve heard EPSDT described as ‘every pediatrician should do these things,’ referring to the comprehensive coverage available to young people on Medicaid,” said Joe Ribsam, the Foundation’s director of Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice Policy. “Yet, too few people know the extent of the support and services available.”
Ribsam added: “Jurisdictions can really take advantage of EPSDT to ensure that a young person’s health care — including services to treat mental health and trauma — are provided through their health care delivery system.”
Medicaid Experts and Presenters
- Elissa Gelber, senior program officer, Center for Health Care Strategies;
- Liz Buck, senior program officer, Center for Health Care Strategies;
- Jade Kissi, program associate, Center for Health Care Strategies; and
- Joe Ribsam, director, Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice Policy, the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Additional Medicaid Resources
For those seeking more technical details leveraging Medicaid for the health and well-being of young people in the justice system, the Center for Health Care Strategies, with support from the Foundation, has produced two resources to help states use Medicaid funding. New Medicaid Opportunities to Support Youth Leaving Incarceration is a 22-page report that details efforts in New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon and Utah to align Medicaid funding with broader community and public safety goals. Its authors have also produced a related four-page policy cheat sheet.
