2022: Fitzpatrick Voted To Allow Mental Health Collaboration Program
Grants To Be Used For Training For Prosecutors Over Diversion Programs,
Implementing Crisis Call Response Teams, Implementing Suicide Prevention
Services For Imprisoned Individuals, Enhancing Access To Mental Health
And Substance Use Disorder Services For Qualified Offenders, And
Expanding The 988 National Suicide Prevention And Mental Health Crisis
Hotline. In November 2022, according to Congressional Quarterly,
Fitzpatrick voted for the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration
Reauthorization Act of 2022, which would "expand eligible uses of
Justice Department Mental Health Collaboration Program grants to states,
local governments and tribes to plan and implement programs to serve
individuals accused of an offense who have been diagnosed with a mental
illness. Specifically, the bill would allow grants to be used for
training prosecutors about diversion programs, which are mental health
treatment alternatives to incarceration; implementing multidisciplinary
crisis call response teams that include specially trained officers and
mental health crisis workers; developing and implementing suicide
prevention services for incarcerated individuals; increasing access to
mental health care and substance use disorder services and providing
case management services for qualified offenders and individuals
released from prison; and implementing and expanding the 988 national
suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline system. It would
require multidisciplinary crisis response teams that receive grant
funding to provide response capability 24 hours each day and seven days
each week, to the extent practicable. The bill would also reauthorize
$2 million annually through fiscal 2027 for a Justice Department report
on the prevalence of offenders with serious mental illness." The vote
was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 389-22, thus the
bill was sent to President Biden and it ultimately became law. [House
Vote 487, 11/29/22;
Congressional Quarterly,
11/29/22; Congressional
Actions, S.
3846]
2022: Fitzpatrick Voted To Award Grants To State, Local And Tribal
Governments To Establish Or Expand Programs That Dispatch Mental Health
Experts Instead Of Law Enforcement Officers If A Person Experiences A
Mental Health Crisis. In September 2022, according to Congressional
Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted for the Mental Health Justice Act of 2022,
which would "require the Health and Human Services Department to award
grants to states, localities, tribes and tribal organizations to
establish or expand programs to hire, train and dispatch mental health
professionals to respond in lieu of law enforcement officers in
emergencies where an individual calls an emergency hotline regarding a
mental health crisis or where a law enforcement officer or first
responder identifies that an individual has a mental illness or
disability, or is under the influence of drugs. The grants could also be
used for training mental health professionals in de-escalation and
developmentally appropriate techniques, connecting individuals with
voluntary community-based services, training dispatch center staff and
coordinating with law enforcement agencies. The bill would authorize
$250 million annually through fiscal 2027 for the program. It would
require HHS to distribute additional funds to grantees that demonstrate
program success and to prioritize grant recipients that are located in
high-need areas or that commit to certain community support approaches.
It would establish program reporting requirements and policies for
revoking grants. It would require HHS and the Justice Department to
conduct a study, within three years of enactment, on the effectiveness
of funded programs and activities." The vote was on passage. The House
passed the bill by a vote of 223-206. The Senate did not take
substantive action on the bill. [House Vote 452,
9/22/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 9/22/22;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
8542]
The Bill Would Have Created A Grant Program For State And Local
Governments To Train And Dispatch Mental Health Experts, Instead Of
Police Officers, To Respond To Behavioral Health Emergencies.
According to The Washington Post, "The Mental Health Justice Act of
2022, sponsored by Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.), seeks to create a
grant program for states and local governments to train and dispatch
mental health professionals --- instead of law enforcement officers
--- to respond to emergencies that involve people with behavioral
health needs." [The Washington Post,
9/22/22]
The Bill Would Have Authorized $250 Million Annually Through FY
2027 For The Mental Health Grants. According to Congressional
Quarterly, "The bill would authorize $250 million annually through
fiscal 2027 for the program." [Congressional Quarterly,
9/22/22]