Bill Text: IA HF361 | 2017-2018 | 87th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: A bill for an act providing for a study regarding the possible establishment of a jail diversion program for offenders with a mental illness.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 33-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-02-16 - Introduced, referred to Public Safety. H.J. 408. [HF361 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2017-HF361-Introduced.html
House File 361 - Introduced HOUSE FILE BY MILLER, THEDE, HUNTER, HANSON, KACENA, ISENHART, GASKILL, KEARNS, BEARINGER, OURTH, M. SMITH, T. TAYLOR, STECKMAN, WOLFE, MASCHER, WINCKLER, LENSING, NIELSEN, R. SMITH, BRECKENRIDGE, McCONKEY, WESSEL=KROESCHELL, OLSON, BROWN=POWERS, FORBES, JACOBY, HEDDENS, KURTH, GAINES, COHOON, PRICHARD, OLDSON, and RUNNING=MARQUARDT A BILL FOR 1 An Act providing for a study regarding the possible 2 establishment of a jail diversion program for offenders with 3 a mental illness. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: TLSB 1375YH (3) 87 hb/nh/rh PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. JAIL DIVERSION PROGRAM FOR OFFENDERS WITH 1 2 A MENTAL ILLNESS == STUDY. The division of criminal and 1 3 juvenile justice planning of the department of human rights 1 4 shall conduct a study regarding the possible establishment 1 5 of a jail diversion program for the purpose of reducing 1 6 jail recidivism rates for nonviolent criminal offenders who 1 7 suffer from mental illness. The division shall solicit input 1 8 from the department of human services; the department of 1 9 corrections and other members of the criminal justice system 1 10 including judges, prosecutors, and defense counsel; specially 1 11 trained law enforcement crisis intervention teams and crisis 1 12 intervention response teams; and the Iowa association of 1 13 community providers, the Iowa behavioral health association, 1 14 and other mental health service providers including providers 1 15 of crisis stabilization services and providers of integrated 1 16 mental health and substance abuse inpatient, outpatient, and 1 17 rehabilitation services. 1 18 The study shall consider and review social, clinical, 1 19 housing, and welfare services currently available and services 1 20 that should be developed to meet the needs of nonviolent 1 21 criminal offenders who suffer from mental illness. The system 1 22 elements addressed by the study shall also include but are not 1 23 limited to regulatory, liability, and funding issues. The 1 24 division shall establish the membership, scope, and duties of 1 25 the study committee and shall also consider the feasibility 1 26 of establishing a jail diversion pilot program. The division 1 27 shall submit a report on the study and make recommendations to 1 28 the governor and the general assembly by December 15, 2017. 1 29 EXPLANATION 1 30 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 1 31 the explanation's substance by the members of the general assembly. 1 32 This bill directs the division of criminal and juvenile 1 33 justice planning of the department of human rights to conduct a 1 34 study regarding the possible establishment of a jail diversion 1 35 program for offenders with a mental illness for the purpose 2 1 of reducing jail recidivism rates for nonviolent criminal 2 2 offenders who suffer from mental illness. The bill requires 2 3 the division to work with interested stakeholders including 2 4 representatives from the department of human services, the 2 5 department of corrections and other members of the criminal 2 6 justice system, certain specially trained law enforcement 2 7 personnel, and mental health providers. The study shall 2 8 consider and review social, clinical, housing, and welfare 2 9 services and shall also consider regulatory, liability, and 2 10 funding issues. The division is required to submit a report 2 11 with recommendations to the governor and the general assembly 2 12 by December 15, 2017. LSB 1375YH (3) 87 hb/nh/rh
