Sacramento, California - Emphasizing its commitment to offender rehabilitation and long-term success after incarceration, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) has ramped up efforts to ensure that parolees obtain health coverage.

“The benefits of receiving health care services, including primary health care, dental care, mental health and substance abuse services, are immeasurable for our parolee population,” said Dan Stone, Director of CDCR’s Division of Adult Parole Operations (DAPO).

In July, DAPO and the Division of Rehabilitative Programs (DRP) began robust outreach efforts to assist female parolees in obtaining health insurance coverage under the expanded eligibility criteria in the Affordable Care Act. That effort included developing county-specific Resource Guides and community resource fairs to encourage enrollment and provide referrals and assistance.

“Staying healthy is an important part of rehabilitation,” said Millicent Tidwell, DRP Director. “That includes treating mental health and substance abuse issues. By assisting parolees in obtaining coverage, CDCR is helping keep communities safe.”

Following the successful outreach effort, nearly every female parolee in California now has health coverage or is on her way to obtaining it.

From Aug. 1 through Sept. 30, staff followed up with California’s 3,455 female parolees to determine who was already covered and who was eligible for Medi-Cal, and to provide continued assistance in getting coverage. Today, 93 percent of the female parolee population either has health coverage (77 percent) or is in the process of obtaining coverage (16 percent). These outcomes do not include female parolees who were in custody, at large or otherwise unreachable.

For more information, contact Krissi Khokhobashvili at (916) 445-4950.