Authors: Silicia Lomax, Margot Cronin-Furman, John Sawyer, and David Ryan
A HARP publication in collaboration with Justice Systems Partners (JSP) with support from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation as part of the Safety and Justice Challenge (SJC)
A growing number of states are, for the first time, advancing continuity of care for people returning to their communities from incarceration using Medicaid 1115 reentry waivers. As states and counties across the country implement these changes, policymakers and stakeholders have a strong interest in understanding their impact on health and public safety. Measuring outcomes and communicating impact can help states and counties build understanding, strengthen implementation over time, and inform future policy decisions. Key steps in leveraging data to make the case for Medicaid 1115 reentry waivers include:
- Establishing Shared Objectives and Metrics
- Measuring Progress at Each Stage of Implementation
- Identifying the Right Data Sources
- Using Data Strategies to Support Communication
- Using Data to Tell the Story
As reentry waiver implementation continues, focusing early on strong measurement and communications strategies will lead to improved systems and demonstrate the direct impact of those improvements on the health and safety of individuals and communities.