The Senate has passed legislation that would provide more resources to community mental health and addiction treatment centers that serve people who are incarcerated.
The Crisis Stabilization and Community Reentry Act now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration.
The bipartisan bill is designed to improve care for incarcerated people with behavioral health conditions. If signed into law, it would set aside $10 million in grants for the creation of collaborative programs between community criminal justice agencies and community mental health centers
In addition to community behavioral health providers, penal departments nationwide would also have access to the resources.
“This bill addresses these shortcomings within correctional facilities and provides a clear path to community-based care post-release,” Chuck Ingoglia, president and CEO of the National Council for Behavioral Health, said in a statement following the Senate’s passage of the legislation. “Under this bill, penal departments and community mental health centers would be better linked to effectively treat those in crisis and improve continuity of care, which is critical for recovery.”
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