Senate Judiciary Committee Approves Bill To Improve Mental Health Care for Prison Inmates

The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday by voice vote approved a bill (S 2304) that would reauthorize through 2013 the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction, a grant program established in 2004 to improve mental health care for prison inmates, CQ Today reports.

Before approval of the bill, the committee passed a substitute amendment sponsored by chair Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) that would reconcile the legislation with a similar bill (HR 3992) approved by the House on Jan. 23.

The legislation would increase funds for grants from $50 million annually to $75 million annually for fiscal years 2009 to 2013. In addition, the bill would establish new grants for programs that train law enforcement officers who handle inmates with mental illnesses. The bill also would require the Department of Justice to report on the rate of serious mental illness and homelessness among individuals in custody (Webber, CQ Today, 3/6).