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

This legislation, titled the "Improving Mental Healthcare in the Re-Entry System Act of 2025," establishes a grant program administered by the Attorney General. Its primary purpose is to implement mental health screenings for individuals at intake into eligible detention centers and provide referrals to mental healthcare providers before or immediately after their exit. This initiative aims to address the mental health needs of incarcerated individuals at critical junctures. States and localities can apply for these competitive grants, provided they meet specific requirements. A key condition is the hiring of a dedicated **mental health liaison staff member** for each eligible detention center under their jurisdiction, responsible for coordinating care and overseeing outreach efforts. Applicants must also submit a detailed plan and partner with an independent research organization to evaluate their program's impact and share relevant data. Grant funds will support developing and administering a **brief mental health screening survey**, typically 5 to 10 questions based on the Brief Jail Mental Health Screen, to identify severe mental illnesses. This survey will be administered by trained staff to all incarcerated individuals. If responses indicate severe mental illness, an **outreach team**—comprising mental healthcare professionals, jail/prison staff, and the mental health liaison—will refer the individual to a local mental healthcare provider for further assessment and support. The outreach team is required to attempt in-person contact with individuals before their release or make multiple telephone and in-person attempts after release to facilitate these referrals. Separately, the Director of the Bureau of Prisons must establish a similar program for federal prisons within 90 days of the Act's enactment. An **Advisory Board** will be established by the Attorney General to manage the grant program, approve plans, provide technical assistance, and oversee comprehensive evaluations. These **evaluation activities**, conducted by independent research organizations, will measure the program's impact on participants' criminal justice outcomes, employment, and mental healthcare utilization using rigorous experimental designs. The Board will also maintain a database of evaluation results to guide future policymaking. The bill authorizes significant funding, starting with $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2026 and increasing to $140,000,000 by fiscal year 2030. Of these funds, 90 percent is allocated for the grant program, with specific distributions for the Bureau of Prisons, State prisons, and local jails, while the remaining 10 percent supports evaluation activities and the Advisory Board's operations.