Federal Bill to Speed SSI, SSDI, & Medicaid to Mentally Ill Parolees Introduced

 H. R. 6256 was just introduced by Rep. André Carson [D-IN] to ensure prompt access to SSI, SSDI, and Medicaid for prisoners released from jails and prisons. This is very important, because eliminating the delay in benefits makes it more likely people will get treatment. Following are the "Findings" which point out how many people with mental illness are being incarcerated due to lack of care.   It is Mental Illness Policy Org's position, that individuals being released from prisons and jails who have mental illness should be evaluated to see what services (voluntary or involuntary) they might need to stay healthy in the community. That is not part of this bill, but it is nonetheless an important bill. 

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

The Congress finds as follows:
(1) There are an estimated 350,000 mentally ill individuals in State and Federal prisons.
(2) According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, nearly 15 percent of men and 31 percent of women in jails have serious mental illnesses, with female inmates having higher rates of mental health problems than male inmates--State prisons: 73 percent of females and 55 percent of males; local jails: 75% of females and 63% of males.
(3) According to surveys completed by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 16.3 percent of jail inmates reported they had a ‘mental health condition’ or an overnight stay in a ‘mental hospital’ in their lifetime, and 60.5 percent of local jail inmates reported they had symptoms of a mental illness.
(4) Access to Federal disability and health care benefits is a critical component of the successful re-entry into the community of indigent individuals with disabilities who are released from jail, prison, juvenile detention, or other correctional facilities.
(5) As a matter of public safety, individuals with disabilities released from correctional facilities must be reinstated in the Federal benefit programs that are designed to provide the health services and financial supports on which they rely.
(6) Individuals with disabilities who live in extreme poverty and who are too disabled to work after release from correctional facilities require Government supports such as Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or Medicaid to maintain health and to safely transition from correctional facilities into the community.
(7) It is the policy of the United States to provide individuals with disabilities assistance in leading healthy and productive lives.
(8) On average, mentally ill inmates serve 103.4 months in State prison until their release, as compared to 88.2 months for other inmates. Yet, their SSI benefits terminate after 12 consecutive months of their incarceration. On average, it takes 93 days to reinstate those benefits.
(9) Health care benefits are especially important to low-income individuals with disabilities who often cannot afford private market insurance and who are at great risk of incurring exorbitant costs for health care. SSI beneficiaries who lose benefits because of incarceration may also lose Medicaid coverage.
(10) Without prompt access to Federal disability benefits on their release, individuals with psychiatric disabilities who come into contact with the criminal justice system often become trapped in many cycles of arrest, release, destitution, deterioration, and re-arrest.
(11) Rates for mentally ill offenders are very high. A Bureau of Justice Statistics report found that over 3/4 of mentally ill inmates had been sentenced to time in prison or jail or were on probation at least once before their current sentence.
(A) Three-quarters of those returning from prison have a history of substance use disorders. Over 70 percent of prisoners with serious mental illnesses also have a substance use disorder.
(B) Among repeat offenders, an estimated 47 percent of State prisoners who had a mental health problem were violent recidivists, compared to 39 percent of State prisoners without a mental problem.
(12) Among the mentally ill, 52 percent of State prison inmates, 54 percent of jail inmates, and 49 percent of Federal prison inmates reported 3 or more prior sentences of probation or incarceration.
(13) Nearly 1/4 of both State prisoners and jail inmates who had a mental health problem, compared to 1/5 of those without, had been incarcerated on 3 or more prior occasions.
(14) Although discharge-planning practices vary considerably, inmates are typically released with no more than a 2-week supply of even crucial medications such as insulin and with no primary care follow-up, so the burden of care falls predominantly on emergency rooms and is financed primarily by the public.
• We urge you to urge your representatives to support HR 6256 and thank Rep. Carson and the following co-sponsors 
• Rep. Elijah Cummings [D-MD7]
  Rep. Donna Edwards [D-MD4]
  Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee [D-TX18]
  Rep. Dennis Kucinich [D-OH10]
  Rep. Barbara Lee [D-CA9]
  Rep. Gwen Moore [D-WI4]
  Del. Eleanor Norton [D-DC0]
  Rep. Laura Richardson [D-CA37]
  Rep. Fortney “Pete” Stark [D-CA13]
  Rep. Edolphus “Ed” Towns [D-NY10]