In the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, Congress authorized Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to cover certain services provided to Medicaid-eligible youth and young adults in correctional facilities. Specifically, starting January 1, 2025, Medicaid and CHIP will cover screening and diagnostic services and targeted case management services for eligible, post-adjudicated youth and young adults.

The requirements aim to facilitate more successful community transitions as young people leave the justice system. The requirements apply to prisons, jails, and youth facilities in every state, including youth corrections, youth detention, and adult correctional facilities. Additionally, a new option for states to use Medicaid to provide comprehensive services to youth who have been incarcerated and young adults who are pre-adjudication takes effect next year.

To carry out these policies and successfully connect youth and young adults leaving corrections to services, corrections agencies will need to build new partnerships with state Medicaid and other entities. The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), Health and Reentry Project, and the BJA National Training and Technical Assistance Center provide the following materials to support readiness efforts by correctional leaders:

• Getting Ready: Key Elements for the Implementation of Section 5121
• Section 5121 Brief Operational Checklist for Post-Adjudicated Youth
• Section 5121 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 FAQs for Jails
• Section 5121 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 FAQs for State Departments of Correction