In an effort to both expand access to mental health resources and reduce crime, Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (D, 11th District) recently reintroduced her Improving Mental Healthcare in the Re-Entry System Act.
Sherrill said the evidence-based legislation would expand mental health screenings in jails and prisons and then connect individuals with mental health care providers when they return to their communities, which has been proven to significantly reduce the likelihood that an individual reoffends.
The Improving Mental Healthcare in the Re-Entry System Act is a key component of Sherrill’s Improving Public Safety in New Jersey Communities Agenda, a legislative package she is introducing to reduce crime across the Garden State.
Sherrill said she has first-hand knowledge of the potential impact.
Before she was elected to Congress, she served as the outreach and reentry coordinator at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Jersey, where she worked to reduce recidivism and help individuals leaving federal prison successfully reintegrate into the community.
“I saw firsthand how access to mental health care for individuals returning to their communities helps people get back on track and reduces recidivism rates,” she said. “I worked with mental health professionals, law enforcement, and community leaders to develop this legislation that will effectively meet the needs of New Jerseyans, support local mental health care providers, reduce crime, and give people a fair shot across the Garden State.”
The legislation has also been endorsed by the Mental Health Association of Essex and Morris and the International Union of Police Associations.
Bob Davison, CEO of the Mental Health Association of Essex and Morris, Inc., said the impact could be huge.
“The proposed program will enhance public safety, improve the lives of individuals with mental illness and reduce costs to the taxpayer,” he said. “These are tough issues that a lot of people walk away from. We appreciate that Congresswoman Sherrill has decided to lead.”
The act provides funding to the bureau of prisons, states, and localities to carry out mental health screenings and provide referrals to mental health care providers for incarcerated individuals upon release.
The legislation is based on an innovative mental health program developed by the Johnson County, Kansas jail system in 2016. A rigorous study of the program found that it significantly increased mental healthcare access for participants and reduced their likelihood of committing a crime after release.
Supporters feel access to mental health services is important because almost 70% of individuals released from state prisons have been arrested again within three years. A lack of access to mental health care for those in the criminal justice system likely plays an important role in this cycle of incarceration and re-arrest. About 40% of incarcerated individuals have a mental health condition and 16% have a severe mental illness, and individuals with severe mental illnesses are twice as likely to return to prison compared to those without such illnesses.
