This legislation aims to improve the mental well-being of corrections officers by establishing programs for mental health screenings and referrals. It creates a grant program, administered by the Attorney General, to provide funding to States and localities for implementing these services at eligible detention centers. Additionally, the bill mandates that the Bureau of Prisons establish its own comprehensive program for its corrections officers. Under the grant program, States and localities must develop or adopt anonymous and confidential mental health screening surveys for all corrections officers. If a survey indicates a potential mental illness, a trained staff member must notify a dedicated mental health outreach team . This team is responsible for referring the officer to a local mental health care provider for further assessment and treatment, and for supporting their re-engagement with care. An Advisory Board will be established to oversee the grant program, evaluate plans, monitor compliance, and provide technical assistance to States, localities, and the Bureau of Prisons. The Board will also create a working group to share best practices for effective mental health screening and referral programs. Crucially, the bill includes a safe harbor provision , ensuring that corrections officers seeking and receiving mental health treatment do not suffer adverse employment outcomes, such as fitness-for-duty evaluations. The bill authorizes substantial appropriations, ranging from $50 million to $70 million annually from fiscal years 2026 through 2030, to fund these critical initiatives.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Corrections Officer Blake Schwarz Suicide Prevention Act of 2026
USA119th CongressS-4514| Senate
| Updated: 5/13/2026
This legislation aims to improve the mental well-being of corrections officers by establishing programs for mental health screenings and referrals. It creates a grant program, administered by the Attorney General, to provide funding to States and localities for implementing these services at eligible detention centers. Additionally, the bill mandates that the Bureau of Prisons establish its own comprehensive program for its corrections officers. Under the grant program, States and localities must develop or adopt anonymous and confidential mental health screening surveys for all corrections officers. If a survey indicates a potential mental illness, a trained staff member must notify a dedicated mental health outreach team . This team is responsible for referring the officer to a local mental health care provider for further assessment and treatment, and for supporting their re-engagement with care. An Advisory Board will be established to oversee the grant program, evaluate plans, monitor compliance, and provide technical assistance to States, localities, and the Bureau of Prisons. The Board will also create a working group to share best practices for effective mental health screening and referral programs. Crucially, the bill includes a safe harbor provision , ensuring that corrections officers seeking and receiving mental health treatment do not suffer adverse employment outcomes, such as fitness-for-duty evaluations. The bill authorizes substantial appropriations, ranging from $50 million to $70 million annually from fiscal years 2026 through 2030, to fund these critical initiatives.