Peters Cosponsors Bill to Improve Access to Mental Health Care within Criminal Justice System
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) today announced that he has cosponsored the bipartisan Comprehensive Justice and Mental Health Act to improve access to mental health services for people within the criminal justice system in need of mental health and substance abuse treatment. The legislation increases resources for correctional facilities, law enforcement and courts to help address the increasing number of mental health and substance abuse issues they encounter.
“Our criminal justice system is ill-equipped to deal with the number of arrests and incarceration of people with mental health or substance abuse problems,” said Senator Peters. “Many of our nation’s incarcerated population should be in treatment programs, not behind bars. This legislation will help ensure that our criminal justice system provides people, including the veterans who have served our country, with the treatment and resources they need to put them on track for a better life.”
The legislation extends support for programs that identify people with mental health conditions in the criminal justice system, as well as support for mental health courts and crisis intervention teams to help provide nonviolent offenders who have been diagnosed with mental health or substance abuse disorders needed resources for treatment, housing, employment and other support that the criminal justice system does not adequately provide. The bill also authorizes support for veterans’ treatment courts that serve arrested veterans with PTSD, substance abuse or mental health conditions.
A 2010 University of Michigan study found that about 20 percent of men and 25 percent of women held in Michigan Department of Corrections facilities showed symptoms of mental health conditions.
Additionally, the legislation helps law enforcement officials by supporting the development of training programs and curricula for police academies that prepare law enforcement to appropriately respond to incidents involving people with mental health or substance abuse conditions.
“Our law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day in service to their communities, and situations involving a mental health crisis can be especially risky,” said Senator Peters. “This legislation will help protect our law enforcement officers by ensuring they are trained to handle and safely resolve dangerous situations in the line of duty.”
Earlier this year, Peters introduced the National Criminal Justice Commission Act to establish a National Criminal Justice Commission tasked with reviewing the criminal justice system from top to bottom and proposing reforms in areas including policing, the juvenile justice and court systems, sentencing, prisons and prisoner reentry. Peters also recently cosponsored the Second Chance Reauthorization Act, which would provide grants to state and local programs that work to reduce recidivism by aiding ex-offenders with housing, employment, mental health care and substance abuse treatment programs. Additionally, Peters cosponsored the Mental Health First Act of 2015 to establish a grant program to train emergency first responders, law enforcement, teachers, school administration and health care professionals to better identify mental illness and handle crisis situations.
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