Abstract

Background

After release from incarceration, individuals are rarely connected to primary care or to social services despite bearing a disproportionate burden of poor health (e.g., chronic illness) and structural determinants of health (e.g., housing instability). The Rhode Island Transitions Clinic (RITC) works to fill this gap, particularly for patients with complex needs, by linking individuals to primary care and social services. However, prior work has not formally assessed how successful the TCN is at connecting patients to social services. Our objective was to assess the relationship between RITC and connections to healthcare use and services addressing structural determinants of health.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study utilizes data among those released from the Rhode Island Department of Corrections (RIDOC) from 2018–2020. These data were linked with state agency data (e.g., unemployment, Medicaid medical claims, housing and homelessness services). We estimated 6-month risk differences (RDs) of each outcome, using stabilized inverse probability weights to account for censoring and confounding.

Results

Of 8,694 individuals, the 68 enrolled in RITC are, on average, older, more likely to be Black, and have had more incarcerations. The RITC was associated with higher likelihood of connection to housing and homelessness services (RD: 0.29; 95% CI: 0.17, 0.41), (re)instatement of Supplemental Security Income (RD: 0.17, 95% CI: 0.06, 0.28), Emergency Department (RD: 0.29; 95% CI: 0.17, 0.41), and primary care visits (RD: 0.32; 95% CI: 0.21, 0.43), and lower likelihood of receiving taxable wages (RD: -0.05; 95% CI: -0.14, 0.05) compared to not being in RITC within six-months of release.

Conclusions

RITC patients have complex healthcare and social service needs. The RITC is an innovative approach that is successful at connecting its patients to primary care and social services.

Details

Title
The Rhode Island transitions clinic: connections to social and healthcare services after release from incarceration
Author
LeMasters, Katherine; Levintow, Sara N; Berk, Justin; Martino, Sarah; Paquette, Catherine; Vanjani, Rahul; Brinkley-Rubinstein, Lauren
Pages
1-8
Section
Research
Publication year
2024
Publication date
2024
Publisher
BioMed Central
e-ISSN
14726963
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
3152688367
Copyright
© 2024. This work is licensed under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.