Revise: Enroll every CA prisoner in CalFresh and MediCal before they're released

codeforamerica / project-ideas

A place to collect ideas for CfA health projects

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Revise: Enroll every CA prisoner in CalFresh and MediCal before they're released #19

Open lippytak opened 10 years ago

lippytak commented 10 years ago

Stub for now. I think CA just passed a bill that allows all prisoners to apply for (enroll in?) benefits like CalFresh and MediCal before they're released. Sounds like SF is moving forward on this for county jails. I also heard that State prisons are not moving forward on this and has a bad track record of following through with available benefits.

Revise is a project to enroll every CA prisoner in CalFresh and MediCal. We'll send every prisoner the SAWS 1 application and submit it on their behalf.

Locator: http://inmatelocator.cdcr.ca.gov/Results.aspx (doesn't have release date)
Form: http://www.dss.cahwnet.gov/cdssweb/entres/forms/English/SAWS1.pdf
Source: http://www.cdss.ca.gov/cdssweb/PG168.htm

fureigh commented 10 years ago

I love this idea. Would love to think through the sending part, as computer and internet access are widely variable in prisons.

Some possible resources for more information about that, besides Wikipedia:

fureigh commented 10 years ago

Hack-the-process ideas:

Find out who already interacts with prisoners nearing release. Have them include this in their pre-discharge process.
Organize visit-a-thons! So much easier said than done! But if the rules around visitation permit it, volunteers with internet-equipped mobile devices could sign people up on an individual basis.

greggish commented 10 years ago

I just connected the other day with someone who works with prison intranets. Lmk if u want to connect with her.

RebeccaCoelius commented 10 years ago

Good friend of mine at the White House was working on/cares about this exact problem, I'll ping her for contacts.

Rebecca Coelius

On May 21, 2014, at 7:25 PM, greggish notifications@github.com wrote:

I just connected the other day with someone who works with prison intranets. Lmk if u want to connect with her. — Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub.

fureigh commented 10 years ago

Those contacts sound great — @lippytak, what do you think?

This California Report story references current human resources working on enrollment: http://blogs.kqed.org/newsfix/2014/06/10/prisons-boost-efforts-health-care-parolees

fureigh commented 10 years ago

Support for the idea that being insured and receiving coordinated health care can help people avoid returning to jail or prison: http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2014/06/12/317443878/health-care-can-be-key-to-a-better-life-for-former-inmates