Behavioral Health Needs of Jail Inmates in Washington State

Jan 2016 |
11.226
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Online Library

This report examines the characteristics of 123,240 individuals booked into local Washington State jails in 2013 who were recent or former clients of the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) or the Health Care Authority (HCA). We find substantial overlap between the DSHS client population and those entering jail. The majority (86 percent) of individuals booked into jail in 2013 were recent or former DSHS/HCA clients. Medicaid recipients entering jail have high rates of behavioral health treatment needs. Based on administrative data, over half (58 percent) of Medicaid enrollees booked into jail have mental health treatments needs, 61 percent have substance use disorder treatment needs and 41 percent have indicators of co-occurring behavioral health disorders.

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