This study examined whether providing Medicaid coverage for halfway house residents may facilitate their seeking of healthcare, improve healthcare use, and decrease criminal recidivism compared to providing them with healthcare services through prison or jail medical facilities.
This project developed a researcher-practitioner partnership with the Connecticut Department of Corrections (DOC) in implementing a mixed-methods research design. Qualitative data collection included focus groups with halfway-house residents; interviews with halfway house staff, correctional health providers, correctional officers, and state DOC officials; and site observations of DOC medical facilities. Quantitative data collection focused on recidivism, baseline health status and use of medical services, Medicaid enrollment, and healthcare use in the community. The findings indicate that halfway-house residents on Medicaid were more likely to receive healthcare services during their halfway house stay than residents who were required to return to prison for healthcare services; however, the study also determined that residents with access to community-based healthcare were more likely to be re-incarcerated for a new crime within 1 year of entering the halfway house. Study limitations are noted, including results not including Medicaid enrollment and healthcare use after transition from the halfway house to housing in the community. 15 tables, 3 figures, 27 references, and appended methodological materials