State of Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services: State planning grant to fund landscape analysis, capacity building and partnership development. - Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) Project Title: Section 5121 Planning Grant for Reentry Services for Medicaid-Eligible Youth Total Budget: $2,009,671 The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS), the state’s single Medicaid agency, is applying for a planning grant to support implementation of Section 5121 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) of 2023. This initiative targets Medicaid-eligible youth involved with the justice system, with the aim of developing comprehensive strategies to identify, enroll, and support this population before and after their release from carceral facilities. HFS will lead the project in collaboration with the University of Illinois’ Office of Medicaid Innovation (OMI) and the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association designated as subrecipients. Planning efforts will also engage community-based organizations (CBOs) and other stakeholders to support statewide implementation. Project goals include: Conducting a statewide landscape analysis of carceral facilities to assess capacity and gaps in reentry-related services and Medicaid enrollment processes. Building capacity at selected facilities to implement Medicaid processes and deliver reentry services aligned with Section 5121 and the state’s approved 1115 waiver. Developing regional partnerships to connect carceral facilities with community-based providers, focusing on behavioral health, care coordination, and continuity of care post-release. Grant funds will also support hiring a full-time Project Director and a Reentry Coordinator, outreach and training activities, data analysis, partnership convenings, and stakeholder engagement. Collectively, these efforts will lay the groundwork for a sustainable, statewide service delivery model that ensures justice-involved youth can access Medicaid-covered services both during incarceration and after release.
