WASHINGTON – Last week, the
Justice and Mental Health Collaboration
Reauthorization Act passed the U.S. Senate with bipartisan support. Sen.
Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, is
an original cosponsor of the proposal and helped usher it through
committee in May, where it advanced unanimously. The programs funded by this
legislation have helped law enforcement assist individuals experiencing mental
illness since Grassley helped pass the original bill in 2004.
“I’ve been a longtime supporter of the
successful and effective initiatives in this bill, including mental health
courts, crisis intervention teams and training for law enforcement. Encouraging
treatment and supporting those struggling with mental health challenges in the
criminal justice system is critical for protecting public safety and supporting
our police officers. Advancing this legislation also improves outcomes for
these individuals, and I’m optimistic that the House will follow suit so we can
quickly get this bill signed into law,” Grassley
said.
The Justice
and Mental Health Collaboration Reauthorization Act would reauthorize the
Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (JMHCP) and make several
improvements to provide grantees with greater options to respond and treat
individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. The bill would:
- Support mental
health courts and veterans treatment programs;
- Support programs
that offer specialized training for public safety officers and mental health
providers;
- Support
co-responder teams that deploy mental health professionals with law enforcement
and allow a 24/7, 365 response capability;
- Enhance community
capacity and linkage to care systems to ensure continuity of care and
connection to mental health and substance use disorder crisis services;
- And allow
jurisdictions to integrate suicide prevention programs in jails and detention
facilities.
Grassley helped introduce the
reauthorization with Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.).
Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.),
Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Catherine Cortez Masto
(D-Nev.) are also cosponsors of the legislation.
In 2004, the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act (MIOTCRA)
created the JMHCP to help states and counties design and implement
collaborative efforts between criminal justice and mental health systems. JMHCP
grants have funded mental health courts and other court-based initiatives,
diversion and deflection programs, crisis intervention teams, training for
local police departments and other programs to improve outcomes for people with
mental illness and co-occurring substance use disorders who come into contact
with the criminal justice system. JMHCP has provided a total of 568 grants to
49 states along with the District of Columbia.
Learn more about Grassley’s work to
improve mental health care in the criminal justice system
HERE.
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