ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Fifty-fifth Legislature First Regular Session
	Senate: APPROP DP 9-0-1-0 I 3^rd Read 29-0-1-0

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SB 1786: prisoners; mental health transition program

Sponsor: Senator Barto, LD 15

Committee on Military Affairs & Public Safety

Overview

Establishes a mental health transition pilot program (program) and appropriates $1,300,000 from the state General Fund (GF) in Fiscal Years (FY) 2022-2025 for the program.

History

Current law provides for a transition program established by the Arizona Department of Corrections (ADC) that provides transition services for up to 90 days for eligible inmates. ADC is required to conduct an annual study to determine the recidivism rates of inmates who receive a contracted entity's services through this program and requirements are to be followed for the annual study. A written report is to be submitted to the Governor, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives as well as the Secretary of State by July 31 of each fiscal year regarding:

1) Recidivism rates of inmates who received services through the program;

2) Number of inmates who received services through the program;

3) Number of inmates who were not provided services and who were on the waiting list for the program;

4) Types of services provided; and

5) Number of participants in each type of service provided (A.R.S. § 31-281).

Provisions

1. Requires the ADC to establish a program that provides eligible inmates with transition services in the community. (Sec. 1)

2. Prohibits the inmate who is in the program from being released before the inmate’s earliest release date. (Sec. 1)

3. Directs ADC to administer the program and to contract with private or nonprofit entities to provide eligible inmates with mental health transition services. (Sec. 1)

4. Allows ADC to refer an inmate who has a mental health condition to be placed in the program. (Sec. 1)

5. States that ADC can place up to 500 eligible inmates in the program each year. (Sec. 1)

6. Designates the ADC director to adopt rules to implement the program that include:

a) Eligibility criteria for receiving a contracted entity's mental health transition services;

b) Requirements that services be offered to an eligible inmate; and

c) A minimum of 90 days that each eligible inmate must receive services. (Sec. 1)

7. Appropriates $1,300,000 from the state GF in FYs 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 to ADC for the program. (Sec. 3)

8. Directs ADC to conduct an annual study to determine the recidivism rates of inmates who receive a contracted entity's mental health transition services through this program and sets requirements for the annual study. (Sec. 1)

9. Requires a written report to be submitted to the Governor, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by July 31 of each FY and provide a copy to the Secretary of State containing the:

a) Recidivism rates of inmates who received services through the program;

b) Number of inmates who received services through the program;

c) Number of inmates who were not provided services and who were on the waiting list for the program;

d) Types of services provided; and

e) Number of participants in each type of service provided. (Sec. 1)

10. Contains a delayed repeal date of June 30, 2026. (Sec. 2)

11. Defines recidivism. (Sec. 1)

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                  SB 1786

Initials ES  Page 0 Military Affairs & Public Safety

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