Bill > HR1392

This bill establishes a comprehensive mental health screening and referral program for individuals in federal, state, and local detention centers. The program requires eligible detention centers to hire a mental health liaison who will coordinate mental healthcare efforts and oversee an outreach team. Centers must administer a brief 5-10 question mental health screening survey based on the Brief Jail Mental Health Screen (BJMHS) to identify severe mental illnesses like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression. For individuals whose survey responses indicate severe mental health needs, an outreach team composed of mental healthcare professionals, jail staff, and the mental health liaison will attempt to contact the individual before and after release to provide referrals to local mental healthcare providers. An Advisory Board will be created to manage the program, evaluate grant applications, monitor implementation, and contract with independent research organizations to assess the program's impact on arrest rates, employment, and mental healthcare utilization. The bill authorizes increasing funding from $100 million in 2026 to $140 million by 2030, with 90% of funds allocated to screening and referral implementation across federal prisons, state prisons, and local jails. The ultimate goal is to reduce recidivism and improve mental health support for incarcerated individuals during and after their detention.

Justice

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1392/all-info