A Vermont legislative committee says the state should add early intervention services for parolees with mental illness, substance abuse or other problems to help them stay out of trouble.
The draft report says the services should be considered a priority over the addition of any new residential facilities for this group of parolees.
The special committee was created after Human Services Secretary Doug Racine sounded an alarm about the ballooning costs for services for people coming out of prison who weren't eligible for Medicaid.
Racine said 22 convicts labeled "seriously functionally impaired" finished their sentences and were released, although they were considered enough of a threat that they required extra supervision to ensure they didn't re-offend. At the same time, they could not get Medicaid funding.
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