Senate Bill 2448 Summary

• Defines "Special Care Facility for Paroled Inmates" as a long-term care and skilled nursing facility with 60-100 beds to house medically frail paroled inmates, regulated by the State Department of Health and Centers for Medicaid Services.

• Authorizes the State Parole Board to grant medical parole to inmates determined "medically frail" (those with disabling mental disorders, serious medical conditions, or physical disabilities who pose minimal public safety risk) for placement in licensed special care facilities.

• Requires the Mississippi Department of Corrections to contract with licensed special care facilities and establishes eligibility restrictions excluding death row inmates and criminal sex offenders from medical parole consideration.

• Directs the Division of Medicaid to apply for federal waivers to reimburse services provided at special care facilities through a separate, dedicated funding program not part of regular Medicaid appropriations.

• Authorizes the State Department of Health to issue certificates of need for construction, conversion, and operation of special care facilities for paroled inmates.