“Individuals released from incarceration are 129 times more likely to die of a drug overdose during the first two weeks after release.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Mike Braun (R-IN) introduced bipartisan legislation that expands access to health care, including mental health services and substance use disorder treatment, for Medicaid-eligible individuals 30 days before their release from jail or prison. The Reentry Act, which was endorsed by the New York Times editorial board, follows alarming evidence that shows individuals reentering society from incarceration are 129 times likelier than the general population to die of a drug overdose during the first two weeks after release. [...] "In their first two weeks after release from incarceration, ex-convicts are 129 times more likely than the general public to die from a drug overdose. The Reentry Act seeks to tackle the epidemics of opioid overdoses and recidivism after release from prison by resuming benefits for Medicaid-eligible individuals 30 days before they are released to avoid a gap in coverage," said Senator Mike Braun.