HMD1 - Bridging Systems of Care: Partnering with Medicaid and Juvenile Justice for Pre-Release Health Exams at FQHCs

Session Description: FQHCs are increasingly called upon to play a critical role in supporting impartiality-involved populations. This session will highlight a pioneering collaboration between state Medicaid, the Department of Juvenile Justice, and Federally Qualified Health Centers to provide comprehensive pre-release health exams for youth prior to their reentry into the community. Designed by the PCA and its members to ensure continuity of care and improve health for all, this model leverages FQHCs’ deep community presence and expertise in serving high-risk, underserved populations.

We will explore how this partnership came to life—including the policy levers, operational workflows, and stakeholder relationships that made implementation possible. Participants will learn how FQHCs are uniquely positioned to support young people transitioning out of confinement through timely primary care, behavioral health connections, and care coordination that begins behind the walls.

Attendees will leave with strategies to replicate or adapt this model in their own states and communities, as well as tools to build partnerships that bridge fairness and health systems for long-term impact.