Ensuring Timely Access to Medicaid and SSI/SSDI for People with Mental Illness Released from Prison: Four Case Studies

Among people in prison with mental illnesses, many are enrolled in (or are eligible for) Supplemental Security Income/Social Security Disability Insurance (SSI/SSDI) and Medicaid to support their medical treatment prior to incarceration, but few are enrolled in these federal benefit or entitlement programs upon release. As a result, their access to medications and treatment—elements typically essential to compliance with conditions of release for people with mental illness—is severely limited, presenting a significant obstacle to their successful transition back to the community.