CHICAGO – Legislation strongly supported by the Illinois Psychiatric Society (IPS) that will help limit recidivism was signed into law by Gov. Pat Quinn yesterday. This new law will allow offenders who relied on Medicaid benefits when they entered prison to have the insurance reinstated immediately upon release.

“We are pleased that the governor has signed this important legislation,” said Lisa A. Rone, M.D., President of IPS, which has been working with legislators on this issue for the past two years. “Thanks to this new law approximately 18,000 individuals who have mental illnesses or other chronic medical conditions will immediately have their Medicaid benefits and access to needed medical care upon discharge from prison. It will keep them healthy at a vulnerable time.”

Currently in Illinois, former prisoners go without medications and therapy for as long as 90 days after leaving jail because of the time lag required for the ex-offender to reapply for Medicaid benefits that were terminated when they entered prison. Now, this law allows for benefits to be suspended rather than terminated, making it easier to reinstate benefits.

IPS worked with the bill’s chief sponsor, Sen. Kwame Raoul (D-13), to introduce it during the 2008-2009 Legislative Session as SB231. In April 2009 with the support of Sen. Raoul and Rep. Connie Howard (D-34), the bill passed the Senate (58-0) and House (83-33). In July 2009, Gov. Quinn recommended changes to the bill with an amendatory veto. Recently, Sen. Raoul entered Gov. Quinn’s veto language as SB760, which passed the Senate and House with the understanding that rules implementing the suspension and reinstatement provisions would be published shortly after the signing of the bill by the governor. The Cook County Public Defender’s Office and the Union League Club also supported this legislation.

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