LEXINGTON, Ky. — Governor Andy Beshear announced Monday that eligible adults and juveniles leaving state custody will receive continued access to physical and mental healthcare and addiction services for up to one year after release, marking a significant expansion of support for individuals transitioning back to their communities.

The expansion uses federal Medicaid funding under a demonstration program approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, with Kentucky joining four other states in the initiative. Eligible individuals will receive comprehensive screenings prior to release to assess physical and behavioral health needs, then be enrolled in Medicaid coverage upon departure from state custody.

"Leaving incarceration can be a vulnerable time as individuals navigate various systems and rebuild their lives. Maintaining access to care, whether it be ongoing behavioral health and addiction treatment or other health needs, is an essential piece of reentry success," said Dr. Steven Stack, secretary for the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.

Once enrolled, individuals will receive one year of Medicaid coverage and a one-month supply of medications they were prescribed while incarcerated. The Department of Corrections, Department of Juvenile Justice and Department for Medicaid Services are coordinating to determine eligibility as individuals approach their release dates.

The move reflects data showing that incarcerated individuals face disproportionately high rates of substance use disorders, mental illness and chronic physical health conditions. Beshear said the program aims to reduce recidivism, decrease overdose deaths, boost the workforce and enhance public safety. In February, he announced Kentucky achieved a second consecutive year of declining recidivism rates, with approximately 70 percent of released individuals not returning to custody.

The program covers eligible individuals in Kentucky's 14 state-operated prisons and post-adjudicated juveniles under the Department for Juvenile Justice's custody. However, county jail inmates are not currently eligible because jails are operated locally, though state officials have indicated they will consider jails as a future phase of the project.