Stearns County approved planning for Medicaid reentry (1115) waiver to expand jail-based behavioral-health services
Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts
Subscribe
Summary
The board approved pursuing a Minnesota DHS capacity-building planning grant for an 1115 reentry waiver that would prepare the county to allow Medicaid-covered services for people in the jail and for about 60 days around release; staff said implementation would target substance-use and mental-health services and aim to reduce recidivism.
Stearns County commissioners approved Feb. 17 a capacity-building planning grant and the county’s participation in work preparing for an 1115 reentry waiver demonstration project administered by Minnesota Department of Human Services.
Lieutenant Keltner and Julie Ellis, director of adult disability services, explained the program will take planning over roughly the next 18 months toward an implementation date referenced in the transcript as about July 1, 2027. The waiver would make Medicaid services available to people while in jail and provide coverage for services (including substance-use disorder and mental-health treatment and prescriptions) in a period roughly 60 days before or after release to support successful reentry and reduce recidivism. Staff noted operational issues to resolve — how to safely deliver services and how to enable providers to work inside jail facilities — and said counties chosen for the demonstration are collaborating with DHS and health-system partners such as CentraCare.
Commissioner Clark praised the work and moved approval; the board approved the request by voice vote. Presenters said they would continue interdepartmental collaboration (human services, jail, sheriff) and partner engagement to address technical and regulatory details in the planning year.