Implications of The Affordable Care Act on People Involved with the Criminal Justice System

Individuals involved with the criminal justice system face high rates of communicable and chronic diseases, mental illness, and substance use disorders. However, criminal justice practitioners often have difficulty connecting this largely low-income and uninsured population to the health services they need. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), signed into law in March 2010, offers new opportunities for these individuals to obtain health care services previously unavailable to them. Produced by the Council of State Governments Justice Center, this brief provides an overview of the implications of the ACA for adults involved with the criminal justice system, as well as information about how professionals in the criminal justice field can help this population access health care services.