Oral

This panel will explore issues related to meeting the public health, health care, and social service needs of the reentry population and the capacity of communities to meet those needs. This is relevant to public health and social services programming because many communities are disproportionately affected by the issue of reentry. In addition to governmental resources, community organizations play an important role in providing health care services to those returning from prison. The panel will explore some of the barriers and facilitators to framing the issue of prisoner reentry from a public health perspective and identify the policy opportunities available to make prisoner reentry an important issue at the community and state-levels. Researchers and community leaders will participate in the presentations.

Session Objectives: Understand the health care needs of newly released prisoners. Assess the availability of the health care safety net and social services safety net in those communities where parolees are concentrated to meet those needs and challenges providers face in meeting those needs. Discuss the advantages of partnerships between community-based organizations and other major service providers such as the VA in helping to meet those needs

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH)