HITEQ Highlights: Engaging Partners and Technology to Support Care of Justice-Involved Patients

Virtual Webinar

As health centers have expanded their services for behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment, justice-involved members of the community are one part of the population that can benefit by the expansion of services and access. Treatment for SUD during incarceration has shown to reduce recidivism, but is challenging to provide due to constraints posed by space limitations, workforce turnover, and difficulties in maintaining continuity of care. Telehealth and remote services during COVID-19 further expanded opportunities for health centers to consider partnerships to support justice involved populations. Yet, there are operational, technology, and cultural barriers to collaboration with jails, prisons, and the drug courts. Attendees learned from two inspiring health providers- Harris Health (Texas) and Community Medical Centers Inc. (California) that have made a commitment to offering care to justice -involved patients, and their journeys to build positive partnerships improving access to service.