Juvenile Justice

Medicaid and Juvenile Justice

Juvenile justice agencies face a significant challenge meeting the health needs of the youth in their systems. Medicaid, which provides health coverage to more than half of all low-income children in this country, can be a vital partner in juvenile justice reform efforts.

NASHP is supporting the Models for Change (MFC) initiative, an ongoing project of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, by helping its grantees understand and better use the Medicaid program to address the health needs of youth in the juvenile justice system, The MFC program seeks to create models for juvenile justice system reform through targeted investments in four key states (Illinois, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and Washington), and to accelerate movement toward a more “rational, fair, effective, and developmentally appropriate” juvenile justice system.

NASHP has also conducted webinars and published materials outside the MFC initiative which may be of use to individuals and organizations seeking to improve the overall health of youth in the juvenile justice system.