The U.S. Division of Well being and Human Providers (HHS) introduced this week it might be investing greater than $2 million into three Texas well being facilities — two of that are in or across the Houston space — to assist present look after folks reintegrating into society following incarceration.
A complete of greater than $2.8 million can be distributed by the Well being Sources and Providers Administration (HRSA), an company of HHS. The Fort Bend Household Well being Heart in Richmond and Healthcare for the Homeless location in Houston are among the many three facilities to obtain the funding. The opposite location is the Challenge Vida Well being Heart in El Paso.
The grant program is an element of a bigger $52 million funding nationwide by HRSA as a part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Second Likelihood Initiative — designed to assist get rid of boundaries for folks returning to their communities after incarceration.
In keeping with HRSA, the Fort Bend Household Well being Heart will obtain $1 million, whereas the Healthcare for the Homeless location in Houston will obtain $858,274. The El Paso middle will obtain the remaining $1 million.
HRSA administrator Carle Johnson mentioned in a press release that the healthcare supplied by the funding will assist enhance previously incarcerated folks’s means to reintegrate reasonably than probably return to jail.
“At HRSA, we’re dedicated to caring for traditionally underserved communities,” Johnson mentioned. “Individuals reentering the neighborhood from incarceration are notably weak to poor well being outcomes and mortality. We will change that if care and companies are extra intently linked to the reentry expertise, which is why we’re working to make clear that HRSA-funded well being facilities can present pre-release companies.”
The funding can be used to handle persistent circumstances, cut back the chance of drug overdoses, tackle psychological well being and substance use, and forestall, display screen, diagnose and deal with infectious ailments. In keeping with HRSA, virtually 80% of individuals leaving incarceration have persistent medical, psychiatric and/or substance use circumstances.
