Citation

Grabert BK, Gertner AK, Domino ME, Cuddeback GS, Morrissey JP. Psychiatr. Serv. 2017; 68(10): 1079-1082.

Affiliation

Ms. Grabert, Mr. Gertner, Dr. Domino, and Dr. Morrissey are with the Department of Health Policy and Management, Gillings School of Global Public Health, and Dr. Cuddeback is with the School of Social Work, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. The authors are also with the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, American Psychiatric Association)

DOI

10.1176/appi.ps.201600482

PMID

28457211

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study examined long-term outcomes (at 36 months) from Washington State's policy of expediting Medicaid enrollment for prison releasees with severe mental illness and compares them with previously reported short-term outcomes (at 12 months).

METHODS: Linked administrative data on prison releasees (2006-2007) were analyzed by using a quasi-experimental design comparing those referred to expedited Medicaid (N=895) with a control group of those not referred (N=2,189). Aggregate outcomes were analyzed with inverse probability of treatment-weighted logit models.

RESULTS: Expedited Medicaid had a sustained effect on both increased months of enrollment (p<.01) and increased use of community mental health and general medical services (p<.01) 36 months after prison release. However, expedited Medicaid did not reduce criminal recidivism, consistent with 12-month findings, Conclusions: Outcome results at 12 months were sustained at 36 months-namely, expedited Medicaid for released prisoners with severe mental illness improved enrollment and service use with no effects on criminal recidivism.

Language: en

Keywords

Jails & prisons/mental health services, Public health, Public policy issues