Budget committee reviews plan to draw federal match for housing and reentry services, delays introduction

The Joint Budget Committee on an item in packet 19 heard staff explain a plan to use a Section 1115 federal waiver to draw Medicaid matching funds for health-related social needs — primarily housing — and for reentry services for people leaving state correctional facilities.

JBC staff member Mr. Kurtz told the committee the department submitted a comprehensive 1115 waiver and that two components are at issue for this bill: health-related social needs (HRSN), which the staffer said is centered on housing but can include nutrition and counseling, and reentry services for people leaving correctional facilities. Kurtz said the state already provides many of these services from the general fund and the waiver would allow the state to replace some general‑fund spending with federal match and then place leftover federal match proceeds into newly created cash funds for future expansions.

The proposal would create two cash funds — one for HRSN and one for reentry services — and…