Helping Inmates Obtain Federal Disability Benefits

Helping Inmates Obtain Federal Disability Benefits looks at three programs—in the State of Texas, the city of Philadelphia, and the State of New York—that assist inmates in preparing and filing prerelease applications for Federal disability benefits so they can continue to receive treatment without interruption after they are released from prison or jail. The results of the research indicate that helping offenders obtain Federal benefits not only can increase releasees' access to care, but also can reduce the financial burden on State and local governments that fund indigent health care systems.