The Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act (MIOTCRA) was signed into law by President Bush in 2004 and authorized a $50 million grant program to be administered by DOJ. This law created the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (JMHCP) to help states and counties design and implement collaborative efforts between criminal justice and mental health systems.

In 2008, Congress reauthorized the MIOTCRA program for an additional five years. The reauthorization bill also expanded training for law enforcement to identify and respond appropriately to individuals with mental illnesses, and supported the development of law enforcement receiving centers as alternatives to jail booking, to assess individuals in custody for mental health and substance abuse treatment needs.

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Congress Approves $10 million for the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act

On March 10, 2009 Congress passed an omnibus appropriations bill (H.R. 1105) for the remainder of fiscal year 2009, which includes funding for the Department of Justice, the Department of Labor, and the Department of Health and Human Services, including $10 million for the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act.

The omnibus bill includes funding for the following priorities:
Department of Justice

• $10 million for the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act (which represents a $3.5 million increase over the FY08 appropriation)
  
• $25 million for the Second Chance Act, including $15 million for state and local demonstration grants and $10 million for nonprofit grants
  
• $532 million for the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program
  
• $30 million for the Byrne Competitive Grant Program
  
• $40 million for drug courts
  
• $10 million for Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT)

Department of Health and Human Services

• $3.5 billion for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, a $110 million increase
  
• $37.635 million for the Criminal Justice Activities portfolio in SAMHSA, an increase of $13,942,000

Congress will now turn its attention to appropriations for fiscal year 2010, which begins on October 1, 2009.

MIOTCRA authorized the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program, administered through the Bureau of Justice Assistance, U.S. Department of Justice. This program is designed to facilitate collaboration among the criminal justice, juvenile justice, mental health, and substance abuse treatment systems to improve responses to people with mental illnesses involved in the criminal justice system.

View useful resources for applicants to and grantees of the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program.

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