# 116-hr-8639: Mental Health Justice Act of 2020

116-hr-8639, Mental Health Justice Act of 2020, is a 116th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Porter, Katie [D-CA-47] (D-CA); status Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. (as of 2025-11-18).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-8639
- As of: 2025-11-18
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 116-hr-8639
- Congress: 116
- Title: Mental Health Justice Act of 2020
- Status: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Introduced: 2020-10-20
- Sponsor: Rep. Porter, Katie [D-CA-47] (D-CA)
- Cosponsors: 41
- Policy area: Health
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2025-11-18

## Summary

Mental Health Justice Act of 2020 This bill creates a grant program for states and local governments to train and dispatch mental health professionals to respond, instead of law enforcement officers, to emergencies that involve people with behavioral health needs. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) must manage the program in consultation with the Department of Justice (DOJ). SAMHSA may cancel grants that increase incarceration or institutionalization. Grantees must use funds for purposes including de-escalation and anti-racism training. The Department of Health and Human Services and the DOJ must evaluate this program.

## Cosponsors (41)

- Rep. Cárdenas, Tony [D-CA-29] (D-CA), 2020-10-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Matsui, Doris O. [D-CA-7] (D-CA), 2020-10-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Wild, Susan [D-PA-7] (D-PA), 2020-10-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Haaland, Debra A. [D-NM-1] (D-NM), 2020-10-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3] (D-OH), 2020-10-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Maloney, Carolyn B. [D-NY-12] (D-NY), 2020-10-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Hastings, Alcee L. [D-FL-20] (D-FL), 2020-10-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Raskin, Jamie [D-MD-8] (D-MD), 2020-10-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Aguilar, Pete [D-CA-33] (D-CA), 2020-10-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7] (D-WA), 2020-10-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-25] (D-FL), 2020-10-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9] (D-IL), 2020-10-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Roybal-Allard, Lucille [D-CA-40] (D-CA), 2020-10-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ryan, Tim [D-OH-13] (D-OH), 2020-10-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20] (D-NY), 2020-10-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Blumenauer, Earl [D-OR-3] (D-OR), 2020-10-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5] (D-CT), 2020-10-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-10] (D-CA), 2020-10-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Omar, Ilhan [D-MN-5] (D-MN), 2020-10-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Foster, Bill [D-IL-11] (D-IL), 2020-10-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2] (D-CA), 2020-11-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7] (D-MA), 2020-10-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5] (D-PA), 2020-10-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lee, Barbara [D-CA-12] (D-CA), 2020-10-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Napolitano, Grace F. [D-CA-31] (D-CA), 2020-10-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Clark, Katherine M. [D-MA-5] (D-MA), 2020-10-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17] (D-CA), 2020-10-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Grijalva, Raúl M. [D-AZ-7] (D-AZ), 2020-10-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2] (D-WI), 2020-10-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Trone, David J. [D-MD-6] (D-MD), 2020-10-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7] (D-IN), 2020-10-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] (D-DC), 2020-10-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28] (D-CA), 2020-10-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT] (D-VT), 2020-10-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4] (D-WI), 2020-10-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Morelle, Joseph D. [D-NY-25] (D-NY), 2020-10-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Levin, Mike [D-CA-49] (D-CA), 2020-11-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3] (D-PA), 2020-11-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lowenthal, Alan S. [D-CA-47] (D-CA), 2020-11-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6] (D-MA), 2020-11-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1] (D-ME), 2020-12-03T00:00:00.000Z

## Related bills

- 116-hr-7120: George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020
- 116-hr-2694: Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
- 116-hr-2474: Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2019
- 116-hr-2382: USPS Fairness Act
- 116-hr-2214: NO BAN Act
- 116-hr-1773: Rosie the Riveter Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2019

## Sources
- [116-hr-8639 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/8639)

## Related
- [116-hr-7120: George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-7120)
- [116-hr-2694: Pregnant Workers Fairness Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-2694)
- [116-hr-2474: Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2019](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-2474)
- [116-hr-2382: USPS Fairness Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-2382)
- [116-hr-2214: NO BAN Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-2214)
- [116-hr-1773: Rosie the Riveter Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2019](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-1773)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-8639 (as of 2025-11-18).