People leaving incarceration typically struggle to address their basic needs like food, clothing, and healthcare when they return to their communities. Without a stable place to live and access to healthcare, they often cycle between homelessness, shelter, and institutionalizaiton.

In response, some states are finding innovative ways to provide Medicaid insurance to people leaving incarceration. Some states have been approved to use Medicaid waivers to help people enroll 90 days before their release from prison or jail. This approach, known as Reentry Demonstrations, helps improve community health and public safety, while reducing costs from crisis response and re-institutionalization. This brief highlights which states have approved Reentry Demonstrations and which states have submitted requests.