Nebraska lawmakers advanced a bill that makes a few changes for a select group of inmates currently in local county or state custody.
State Senator John Cavanaugh’s amendment to the bill would require DHHS to provide medical program enrollment assistance for those before leaving incarceration. Inmates getting ready to leave corrections would receive the assistance in signing up for Medicaid. Cavanaugh says, ” The goal is to get all eligible people enrolled when they are released.”
State Senator Steve Lathrop says this is an important piece of the legislation. He stated, “It is an important part of the obtain mental health care and substance abuse treatment and other resources they may need to successfully re-enter the community and avoid returning to incarceration.”
Another amendment introduced by State Senator Matt Hansen addresses capacity issues at the Department of Correction’s Regional Center. Currently inmates found incompetent to stand trial remain in the county jail if the capacity is full at the Regional Center. Senator Hansen says, “The main concern is making sure there is a minimum number of beds for competency, that these wait lists from the county jails will be serviced at at least a minimum rate that is known and public.”
The amended bill would also require the Department of Health and Human Services to reimburse a county jail if a person is ordered to be committed to DHHS to restore competency but remains housed in the jail. The rate of reimbursement is $100 a day and it will be adjusted for inflation annually.
The bill would also create the Legislative Mental Health Care Capacity Strategic Planning Committee that would be required to contract with an independent consultant to determine the necessary capacity of inpatient mental health care in Nebraska.