King County jail staff can now use Medicaid funding for certain health services that help eligible people prepare for release. Washington is among 22 states with a waiver allowing reimbursement for transition-related expenses during the 90 days before release.
Medicaid has historically excluded care provided inside jails and prisons, even though many people held in jail have low incomes and qualify for coverage. Megan Murphy, who manages the initiative, said the waiver brings release planning for eligible people and a handoff to a provider who can continue their care outside jail.
CaSandra Adams, a peer adviser to King County’s jail reentry initiative, draws on a decade of cycling through local jails for crimes tied to opioid addiction. She said she often left without money, identification or a place to go, even when she wanted treatment. Her experience now helps shape options for others leaving jail.
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