Montgomery County Leads with Inmate Healthcare Enrollment Initiative

Investing in Dignity, Safety, and a Healthier Future

In a bold, first-of-its-kind move in Alabama, the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, led by Sheriff Derrick Cunningham, has partnered with Trinity Corrections Care to launch a groundbreaking inmate healthcare enrollment program. This initiative connects incarcerated individuals with health coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) ensuring continuity of care, supporting successful reentry, and ultimately, strengthening public safety across the region.

For the Support Our Sheriffs Foundation, this moment is more than a headline it is a reflection of what can happen when visionary law enforcement leaders act with both compassion and strategic foresight.

The Why Behind the Program

For many incarcerated individuals, access to basic medical services is limited, inconsistent, or entirely absent. Upon release, this lack of care becomes a contributing factor to recidivism, health crises, and a cycle of incarceration that burdens families and communities alike.

By viewing incarceration as a qualifying “life event,” inmates in Montgomery County are now able to enroll in ACA-compliant health plans year-round, not just during the limited federal open enrollment window. With guidance from trained staff and support from Trinity Corrections Care, they’re empowered to:

• Access coverage for physical and mental health services

• Receive prescriptions and specialty care

• Retain health benefits post-release—when continuity is critical

A Win for Public Safety and the Public Budget

One of the most compelling aspects of this initiative is that it comes at no additional cost to local taxpayers. By shifting care costs from the county to ACA insurers, Montgomery County is not only improving care outcomes for inmates but also reducing the financial burden on the public.

With an estimated 80–85% enrollment rate, the program is proving that smart policies can produce real, measurable change. This is what happens when sheriffs are given the tools and the trust to lead with innovation.

Sheriff Leadership in Action

Sheriff Cunningham’s office has long been a leader in criminal justice reform at the local level. This program is just the latest example of what it means to balance accountability with compassion and practical foresight.

“Most all people that are incarcerated don’t have healthcare… this was addressing a group that really needed it,”

— Chief Deputy Kevin Murphy, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office

Through this effort, Montgomery County is tackling issues that matter most to citizens public health, reentry success, and fiscal responsibility while maintaining a high standard of law enforcement professionalism.

Why Support Our Sheriffs Matters

At Support Our Sheriffs Foundation, we believe in equipping law enforcement leaders with the tools, visibility, and community support needed to bring forward transformative solutions. When sheriffs innovate, they improve not just the justice system, but the entire ecosystem of health, opportunity, and community stability.

This initiative is a model for other jurisdictions across the U.S. It proves that:

• Healthcare enrollment is a public safety strategy

• Continuity of care helps reduce recidivism

• Sheriffs are uniquely positioned to drive systemic change

We proudly support and elevate stories like these because every person served by a proactive sheriff’s department has a life potentially changed for the better.

The Broader Impact

Studies show that providing healthcare coverage at the time of release significantly reduces the chances of re-incarceration. It also:

• Lowers emergency care and hospitalization costs

• Increases employment readiness

• Improves mental health and substance use recovery outcomes

• Reduces overdose deaths in the first week's post-release

In counties across the nation, jails often serve as default providers for mental health and substance use treatment services they were never designed to deliver. Empowering sheriffs to facilitate healthcare enrollment addresses this gap and fosters dignity and opportunity for returning citizens.

What Comes Next

This pilot program is just the beginning. With results like these, other counties across Alabama and the country will be watching.

Support Our Sheriffs Foundation encourages other sheriff’s departments to explore similar partnerships and policy changes that promote safer, healthier, and more just communities.

How You Can Help

1. Share this story. The more people hear about this innovation, the more support our sheriffs will receive.

2. Donate to our foundation. Your contributions help us expand advocacy, education, and community-based programs.

3. Talk to your local officials. Ask how your sheriff’s office is working to support inmate reentry and healthcare access.

Conclusion

The inmate healthcare enrollment initiative in Montgomery County is a shining example of forward-thinking law enforcement leadership. It’s a win for inmates, for families, and for the communities that sheriffs are sworn to protect.

At Support Our Sheriffs Foundation, we are proud to stand behind programs like these because when our sheriffs succeed, we all succeed.

You can read the full article or watch the news segment about it here. By WSFA 12’s Simon Schuessler; Published: Jun. 9, 2025, at 10:56 PM EDT

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