Print ArticleSACRAMENTO – Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-Los Angeles) has signed into law a bill that is expected to cut down on recidivism and homelessness of formerly incarcerated youth.
Senate Bill 1147, authored by Senators Leland Yee (D-San Francisco/San Mateo) and Ron Calderon (D-Montebello), will ensure that incarcerated juveniles are not terminated from Medi-Cal – the state and federal program that provides comprehensive health benefits to individuals, including children from low-income families. Rather that being forced to reapply for Medi-Cal after release, the Department of Health Services (DHS) will be required to reinstate such benefits within 72 hours of a minor´s release from a youth correctional facility.
"It is imperative that we find ways to help reduce the recidivism rate and homelessness of formerly incarcerated youth," said Yee. "The passage of SB 1147 will close the unreasonable gap in health benefits for released juveniles and also save significant revenue for our counties."
Currently, when a minor who is eligible for Medi-Cal is held in a correctional facility – a juvenile hall, camp, ranch, or California Youth Authority – they can be immediately terminated from Medi-Cal. While in the juvenile justice system, the burden to provide such health services is partially shared by the county. SB 1147 specifies that the Department of Health Care Services must develop protocols and policies to assure that a juvenile´s eligibility for Medi-Cal is not terminated on the basis of "inmate" status. Under SB 1147, Medi-Cal benefits will only be temporarily suspended, and not terminated, which will allow youth who are released to immediately receive Medi-Cal and therefore uninterrupted health coverage.
Often the paperwork necessary to reapply for Medi-Cal is not completed, leaving many individuals without health benefits, or in some cases, even kept in juvenile hall instead of a transitional home. In fact, in 2002 there was an average of 855 post-disposition youth in juvenile hall awaiting placement in a group home or other setting, leaving a significant financial burden on counties.
"The reality is that without adequate healthcare, many of these youth will again resort to criminal activity or be left homeless," said Calderon. "It is important to establish a continuum of care and ongoing support to reduce the demand for costly and unnecessary services later."
"We know that good outcomes for children are closely linked with prompt access to medical and mental health care when they get out of custody," said Sue Burrell, staff attorney for the CA Youth Law Center. "By suspending rather than terminating coverage for children in institutional status, SB 1147 will reduce gaps in services and the enormous expenditure of efforts caregivers experience in trying to access services at the time of release. This is better for our most vulnerable children, and better for our state budget in reducing unnecessary termination and re-application costs."
A brief issued by the 2005 National Health Policy Forum indicates that 70 percent of children in juvenile justice facilities have a mental health disorder and approximately 20 percent have a serious mental illness. There are over 114,500 children in state custody through the juvenile justice or child welfare systems in California.
SB 1148 officially becomes law on January 1, 2009.
Senate Bill 1147, authored by Senators Leland Yee (D-San Francisco/San Mateo) and Ron Calderon (D-Montebello), will ensure that incarcerated juveniles are not terminated from Medi-Cal – the state and federal program that provides comprehensive health benefits to individuals, including children from low-income families. Rather that being forced to reapply for Medi-Cal after release, the Department of Health Services (DHS) will be required to reinstate such benefits within 72 hours of a minor´s release from a youth correctional facility.
"It is imperative that we find ways to help reduce the recidivism rate and homelessness of formerly incarcerated youth," said Yee. "The passage of SB 1147 will close the unreasonable gap in health benefits for released juveniles and also save significant revenue for our counties."
Currently, when a minor who is eligible for Medi-Cal is held in a correctional facility – a juvenile hall, camp, ranch, or California Youth Authority – they can be immediately terminated from Medi-Cal. While in the juvenile justice system, the burden to provide such health services is partially shared by the county. SB 1147 specifies that the Department of Health Care Services must develop protocols and policies to assure that a juvenile´s eligibility for Medi-Cal is not terminated on the basis of "inmate" status. Under SB 1147, Medi-Cal benefits will only be temporarily suspended, and not terminated, which will allow youth who are released to immediately receive Medi-Cal and therefore uninterrupted health coverage.
Often the paperwork necessary to reapply for Medi-Cal is not completed, leaving many individuals without health benefits, or in some cases, even kept in juvenile hall instead of a transitional home. In fact, in 2002 there was an average of 855 post-disposition youth in juvenile hall awaiting placement in a group home or other setting, leaving a significant financial burden on counties.
"The reality is that without adequate healthcare, many of these youth will again resort to criminal activity or be left homeless," said Calderon. "It is important to establish a continuum of care and ongoing support to reduce the demand for costly and unnecessary services later."
"We know that good outcomes for children are closely linked with prompt access to medical and mental health care when they get out of custody," said Sue Burrell, staff attorney for the CA Youth Law Center. "By suspending rather than terminating coverage for children in institutional status, SB 1147 will reduce gaps in services and the enormous expenditure of efforts caregivers experience in trying to access services at the time of release. This is better for our most vulnerable children, and better for our state budget in reducing unnecessary termination and re-application costs."
A brief issued by the 2005 National Health Policy Forum indicates that 70 percent of children in juvenile justice facilities have a mental health disorder and approximately 20 percent have a serious mental illness. There are over 114,500 children in state custody through the juvenile justice or child welfare systems in California.
SB 1148 officially becomes law on January 1, 2009.
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