THE FUTURE OF REENTRY SHOULD BE
PEER LED!
When we join in unison and speak up, we create change and ignite revolutions....
We at Nation Outside are pleased to announce that our collective efforts in engaging in the public comment process have resulted in two meetings with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, we have reached a shared understanding and are working toward a common goal of assisting individuals in gaining access to appropriate medical, educational, social, and other services.
We appreciate the Department's willingness to hear our concerns and work with us to address them. As a statewide grassroots and advocacy organization entirely led by the justice impacted and formerly incarcerated, our mission is to drive policy and practice innovation that builds transformative systems of support for justice-impacted families and communities. We are pleased to have had the opportunity to provide feedback on this policy and to work collaboratively with the Department to ensure that it meets the needs of the populations it is intended to serve.
Moving forward, we will continue to engage with the Department and other stakeholders to ensure that targeted case management services are provided in a manner that is equitable and responsive to the needs of formerly incarcerated individuals. We believe that by working together, we can create a more just and compassionate system of care for all.
We applaud the Biden-Harris administration for pushing to expand access to healthcare in the Medicaid program to those currently incarcerated people who are transitioning back into our communities. As a result, the U.S. the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), announced a new opportunity for states to help increase care for individuals who are incarcerated in the period immediately prior to their release to help them succeed and thrive during reentry. (CMS 4/17/23 Letter)
Likewise, we support the efforts of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) in expanding Targeted Case Management (TCM) (2307-TCM) as a demonstration project to people who are and who have been incarcerated.