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119-hr-1392119th CongressWALLET

Improving Mental Healthcare in the Re-Entry System Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Representative Sherrill, Mikie [D-NJ-11]

Introduced

Summary

Nationwide screening and referral for severe mental illness at jail and prison intake. This bill would create federal grants and an Advisory Board to fund brief intake screenings, immediate referrals, and postrelease outreach to link people to mental health care.

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  • People who are arrested or incarcerated would be screened with a 5 to 10 question survey based on the Brief Jail Mental Health Screen to identify schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression and referred to local providers. Outreach teams must attempt in-person contact before release and phone contact within 24 to 48 hours after release if needed.
  • Local governments and mental health providers could receive grants to buy screening technology, hire staff and outreach teams, and pay salaries or overtime. Ninety percent of grant funding would go to the grant program with 50% to localities, 20% to States, and 20% to the Bureau of Prisons.
  • An Advisory Board and independent researchers would evaluate the program using randomized or quasi experimental designs and must complete an impact evaluation not later than one year after grant receipt. The Board would publish evaluation results and help share best practices across jurisdictions.

*Would authorize $100.0 million in FY2026 rising to $140.0 million in FY2030, a total of $600.0 million in new federal funding over FY2026–FY2030, increasing federal spending.*

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Grants to screen and connect people in jail

The Attorney General would start a competitive grant program within 90 days. It would fund mental health screening at intake and referrals before or soon after release. The bill would authorize $100 million for FY2026, $110 million for FY2027, $120 million for FY2028, $130 million for FY2029, and $140 million for FY2030. Each year, 90% would go to grants (of that 90%: 20% to federal prisons, 20% to states, 50% to local jails), 5% to evaluations, and 5% to an advisory board. Money could pay for short screening surveys, needed technology, staff, outreach teams, and staff pay or overtime.

Oversight board and required evaluations

An Advisory Board would start within 60 days to approve state and local plans, give technical help, and monitor compliance. It could require fixes or cut grant money if rules are not met and would publish evaluation results and best practices. Grantees would have to partner with independent researchers, share criminal justice and labor data, and finish an impact study within one year of the award. Studies would use randomized or similar methods and track arrests, arraignments, jail time, jobs, wages, and mental health care at 1, 3, 5, and 10 years.

Federal prisons add mental health screening

The Bureau of Prisons would set up a similar program within 90 days. Federal prisons would screen people at intake and refer them to care before or soon after release. This would mirror the grant model used by states and local jails.

Short jail mental-health screen and outreach

Grant-funded sites would use a short 5–10 question screen based on the Brief Jail Mental Health Screen. It would look for severe illnesses like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression; ask about symptoms, past meds or inpatient care; and record the person’s home address. Trained staff would give it to everyone entering and to people already inside when the program starts. If someone needs help, an outreach team would be told right away. Teams include local mental health clinicians, jail or prison staff, and a liaison; they must try to meet before release, or call within 24 hours (no later than 48), make three call attempts, then try an in‑person visit at the listed home if needed.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Sherrill, Mikie [D-NJ-11]

NJ • D

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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