Maryland's DPSCS -- the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services -- has a formal ID documents policy (SOP 01-22) that governs the ID process from day one. At intake, custody staff assess your identification status. Copies of the ID Documents Fact Sheet are posted in housing units and common areas across all correctional facilities so that every person inside knows they can request case management assistance with ID documents at any point during their incarceration. That is the foundation.
On top of that foundation, Maryland has Reentry Specialists who conduct exit orientation interviews within 180 days of your projected release date, reentry navigators available throughout the state to connect you to services and employment before and after release, and a pending Medicaid reentry waiver that would allow HealthChoice -- Maryland's Medicaid program -- to begin providing services up to 90 days before release.
Here is what exists now and what you need to do.
What DPSCS Provides at Release
Maryland DPSCS issues a reentry ID card to inmates before release. Several counties, including St. Mary's County, have memoranda of understanding between the local correctional facility, the Division of Vital Records, the Social Security Administration, and the local Motor Vehicle Administration -- enabling eligible inmates to receive a valid MVA state ID in addition to documents. A 2022 state audit found gaps in the ID process statewide; the system has been under active review and improvement.
DPSCS Reentry Specialists begin formal exit orientation interviews within 180 days of your projected release date. These interviews use a standardized reentry needs assessment to identify what you need for successful transition -- housing, employment, benefits, financial obligations, legal issues, clothing, and transportation assistance are all covered.
DPSCS also operates a voluntary transfer program allowing eligible inmates to move to a local detention center for reentry programming up to one year before release (and no less than 30 days before). This requires minimum security classification and a verified connection to the jurisdiction you are returning to. Ask your case manager about this option.
Ask your case manager specifically about:
The status of your MVA state ID or reentry ID documentation. Birth certificate and Social Security card assistance through the Division of Vital Records and SSA MOU. What reentry programming is available at your facility in the months before release.
Getting Your Maryland State ID
Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) handles state IDs and driver's licenses. Find your nearest MVA office at mva.maryland.gov.
To obtain a Maryland state ID or driver's license after release, you will need documents establishing your identity, Social Security number, and Maryland residency. Standard documents include a birth certificate or passport, your Social Security card, and proof of a Maryland address. Your DPSCS release documentation serves as a supporting identity document.
Montgomery County issues Community Reentry Identification Cards -- a locally recognized ID for returning citizens in that county. If you are returning to Montgomery County, ask at your local government offices about this program.
Getting Your Social Security Card
DPSCS case managers can assist with SSA paperwork and coordination. If your Social Security card was not obtained before release, contact the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213, apply online at ssa.gov, or visit your nearest SSA office. Replacement cards are free. Bring your state ID and birth certificate.
Ask whether your facility had a prerelease SSA agreement, allowing the process to begin up to 90 days before release.
Getting Your Birth Certificate
If you were born in Maryland, request a certified copy from the Maryland Department of Health Division of Vital Records at health.maryland.gov or by calling (410) 764-3038. Fees are currently $10 per copy.
Several Maryland county facilities have direct MOUs with the Division of Vital Records. Ask your reentry specialist whether this applies to your facility and whether your birth certificate request has been submitted.
If you were born in another state, contact that state's vital records office.
HealthChoice: Medicaid
Maryland expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Maryland's Medicaid program is called HealthChoice -- a statewide mandatory managed care program administered by the Maryland Department of Health. Low-income adults who meet income requirements are generally eligible for HealthChoice after release.
Maryland's DPSCS Community Health Initiatives Unit is implementing a Medicaid 1115 Reentry Demonstration Waiver -- pending final CMS approval -- with a proposed effective date of July 1, 2025. Under this waiver, eligible individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) or serious mental illness (SMI) at the 16 state prisons and 1 state-managed jail can receive Medicaid-covered services for up to 90 days before release. Services include Medicaid enrollment, coordinated care, medication-assisted treatment, and counseling. Facility-based community care coordinators work with correctional facilities, providers, and case managers to support the process.
Ask your reentry specialist or the DPSCS Community Health Initiatives Unit whether the 1115 waiver has been approved and whether your facility is participating in the pre-release Medicaid enrollment process.
Maryland received a CMS Medicaid continuity of care planning grant in 2025, building infrastructure for the January 1, 2026 federal requirement that Medicaid be suspended rather than terminated during incarceration.
Apply for HealthChoice at mymdthink.maryland.gov, by calling 1-855-642-8572, or at your local Department of Social Services (DSS) office.
SNAP: Food Assistance
Maryland's SNAP program is administered by local Departments of Social Services under the Maryland Department of Human Services (DHS). Apply at mymdthink.maryland.gov, by calling 1-800-332-6347, or at your local DSS office.
Maryland does not impose a lifetime ban on SNAP for people with felony drug convictions. You are generally eligible to apply immediately after release if you meet income and residency requirements.
Benefits are typically issued on an EBT card within 30 days. Expedited SNAP for households with urgent need can be issued within 7 days.
SSI and SSDI
SSI (Supplemental Security Income) and SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) are federal programs available if you have a qualifying disability.
SSI payments are suspended after one full calendar month of incarceration. If you were incarcerated for less than 12 consecutive months, SSI can be reinstated the month you are released -- contact SSA immediately. If incarcerated 12 or more consecutive months, file a new application.
SSDI payments are suspended after 30 continuous days of incarceration following conviction. Contact SSA with your release documents for reinstatement.
HealthChoice eligibility and SSI eligibility are linked. Notify Maryland DHS and SSA on the same day.
Veterans Benefits
If you served in the U.S. military, the Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs provide benefits after release. Contact MDVA at veterans.maryland.gov or the nearest VA facility.
Maryland has VA medical centers in Baltimore and Perry Point, and community-based outpatient clinics statewide. The VA Healthcare for Re-Entry Veterans (HCRV) program provides transitional case management for veterans leaving incarceration. VA benefits suspended during incarceration can be reinstated -- notify the VA of your release date and bring your DD-214 and release documents.
Reentry Resources
Maryland Reentry Navigators (211md.org/resources/mdreentry): Reentry Navigators are available throughout Maryland before, during, and after release. They can connect you to American Job Centers, employment services, benefits, and housing. Find a navigator near you at the 211 Maryland reentry resources page.
Maryland Workforce Exchange (MWE): Central resource for job listings and employment services for people returning from incarceration. Access at mwejobs.maryland.gov.
211 Maryland (211md.org or dial 2-1-1): Statewide social services resource for food, housing, healthcare, and reentry support.
Start Before You Leave
Maryland's 180-day exit orientation interview window is your formal starting point. But the ID Documents Fact Sheet is posted in your housing unit now -- you can request case management assistance with your documents at any time, not just in the final months.
Use that system early. Ask specifically: Has my ID status been assessed and documented? Has my birth certificate been requested through the Division of Vital Records MOU (if your facility has one)? Has my SSA card process been initiated? Has the 1115 Medicaid waiver enrollment process started at my facility?
On release day: confirm your MVA ID or reentry ID is in hand. Apply for HealthChoice and SNAP together at mymdthink.maryland.gov or your local DSS office. Contact SSA for benefit reinstatement. Connect with a Reentry Navigator at 211 Maryland for employment and community connections.
Maryland is actively building toward a stronger reentry system -- the 1115 waiver, the HB 1037 task force, and the navigator network reflect genuine institutional momentum. Use what is available now and ask about what is being built.
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