South Dakota health professionals and advocates are warning that new Medicaid work requirements could disrupt care for people struggling with substance use disorders and other behavioral health problems.
Angela Kennecke, CEO of the addiction-focused nonprofit Emily’s Hope, said people with a history of addiction often have criminal records. She said that means they face steep obstacles in the job market.
“If you can’t get a job, you lose coverage,” she said. “But without coverage, you can’t get treatment. That’s the cycle we’re concerned about.”
Kennecke spoke to South Dakota Searchlight after a roundtable discussion organized by U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-South Dakota, on Tuesday at Avera Behavioral Health Hospital.