Improving Mental Healthcare in the Re-Entry System Act of 2025
IntroducedFebruary 14, 2025
Introduced1 year ago
Intro
House
Senate
Pres
Introduced in Senate
Crime and Law EnforcementGovernment studies and investigationsHealth programs administration and fundingState and local government operationsPerformance measurementHealth care coverage and accessMental healthEmployee hiringGovernment employee pay, benefits, personnel managementAdvisory bodiesCorrectional facilities and imprisonmentHealth personnel
Why This Matters
This bill creates a grant program to fund mental health screenings and referrals for people entering or leaving prisons and jails. It pays for surveys, staff, and outreach teams to connect individuals with mental healthcare.
Who this affects
prison and jail systems · people in facilities · mental healthcare providers
What changes is this bill making?
1The Attorney General will run a competitive grant program for mental health screenings at intake and referrals before or after release in eligible prisons and jails.
2Grants go to the Bureau of Prisons, states, and localities. Recipients must hire mental health liaison staff and set up outreach teams.
3Screenings use a 5 to 10 question survey based on the Brief Jail Mental Health Screen (BJMHS) to identify severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression.
4Outreach teams made up of mental health professionals and jail or prison staff must refer individuals to local mental healthcare providers and attempt in-person contact before release or phone contact within 24 to 48 hours after release, with at least three follow-up attempts.
5An Advisory Board will approve state and locality plans, monitor program compliance, share best practices, and manage technical assistance.
6Independent research organizations will conduct randomized or quasi-experimental evaluations to measure impacts on arrest, employment, and mental healthcare use over one, three, five, and ten years.
7The bill authorizes funding from fiscal year 2026 to 2030, starting at $100 million and rising to $140 million, with most funds for grants and smaller shares for evaluations and administration.
