Mosaic’s Justice Involved Assisters Support Reintegration of Former Inmates

Mosaic’s Justice Involved Assisters team members support and encourage incarcerated individuals at the Deschutes County Jail to help inmates understand their OHP benefits, how to access healthcare services, continue treatment and maintain healthier lifestyles after their release. Pictured left to right: Debi Marks, Caroline Beech, Carol Law and Genesis Hernandez.

Last year members of the Mosaic Community Health enrollment team began assisting inmates at the Deschutes County Jail with signing up for the Oregon Health Plan (OHP) before their release. The program, Justice Involved Assisters, has lead to significant positive outcomes for both the incarcerated individuals and our community.

The program focuses on ensuring that inmates receive necessary healthcare services, including medical, dental and mental health care to address pre-existing conditions and promote overall health. With access to these services, inmates are better prepared to manage their health post-release, reducing the likelihood of relapsing into criminal behavior related to untreated health issues including mental health challenges, substance use disorders and more.

In addition to helping inmates obtain health coverage, our team assists in scheduling new patient appointments and follow-up visits. We offer to help with establishing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits—crucial for the well-being and successful reintegration into society for these individuals. We also collaborate closely with our Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) team to provide support for the continued efforts and success of anyone in need of recovery services.

We have found that our efforts provide a sense of support and encouragement to inmates. Many of the individuals we work with in this program may feel isolated or stigmatized, but involvement in OHP can help them feel valued and understood. This support can boost their self-esteem and motivation to pursue positive life changes once they are released, facilitating a smoother transition to community living. Our team is there to help inmates understand their OHP benefits, how to access healthcare services, continue treatment and maintain healthier lifestyles after their release.

Overall, our team members have found that the experience of assisting inmates with OHP is overwhelmingly positive. Hearing words like “You can help me with that now?” “I can’t believe you actually care about me,” “You’re here to help me, why would you do that?” remind us that the work we do is making a difference for those in need of support. We are proud to be part of the Mosaic team contributing to healthier individuals, safer communities and a more effective reintegration process for those leaving the correctional system.