Corrections Officer Blake Schwarz Suicide Prevention Act of 2025

This bill, known as the Corrections Officer Blake Schwarz Suicide Prevention Act of 2025 , aims to address the mental health needs of corrections officers by establishing programs for mental health screenings and referrals. It authorizes the Attorney General to create a grant program for States and local governments, and directs the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to implement a similar program for its officers. The core of these programs involves administering brief, anonymous mental health screening surveys to identify severe mental illnesses among officers. The grant program allows States and localities to use funds for developing and administering these surveys, hiring necessary staff, and establishing outreach teams to refer officers with severe mental illness indicators to local mental health care providers. These surveys, composed of 5 to 10 questions, are based on existing mental health screening standards and are designed to identify conditions like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression. The BOP is mandated to establish its own program, including surveys and outreach teams, within 90 days of the Act's enactment. An Advisory Board will be established to manage the grant program, monitor BOP compliance, and provide technical assistance to all participating entities. This board will also create a working group to share best practices for mental health screening and referral programs. The bill authorizes appropriations totaling $300 million from fiscal years 2026 through 2030, with 90% allocated for the grant program and BOP initiatives, and the remaining 10% for the Advisory Board's activities.