$5 Million Approved for Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act

On November 4, conferees for the FY 2006 Science, State, Justice Appropriations Bill (H.R. 2862) approved $5
million for the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act. Senator Mike DeWine, who shepherded the bill's passage in the Senate and is a member of the Appropriations Committee, and Congressman Frank Wolf, Chair of the Subcommittee that has jurisdiction over appropriations for the U.S. Department of Justice, were instrumental in securing funding for the the newly authorized program. The appropriations bill now heads to the President's desk for his signature.

Signed into law in 2004, the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act (S. 1194) authorizes a $50 million federal grant program for states and counties to establish more mental health courts, expand prisoners' access to mental health treatment while incarcerated and upon re-entry into the community, provide additional resources for pre-trial jail diversion programs and related initiatives, and fund cross-training for law enforcement officials and mental health personnel dealing with adult and juvenile offenders with mental illness.

Leaders in law enforcement, court officials, corrections administrators, and mental health advocates and service providers enthusiastically supported the legislation and worked hard to ensure that it was funded in this year's budget.



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