Sponsors (6)
The bill expands federal support to deliver community-based, around-the-clock care for people with serious mental illness involved in the justice system and to test/scale FACT teams, trading potential improvements in health and reduced recidivism for added federal costs, sustainability and provider-capacity risks, and possible privacy and civil‑liberties concerns.
People with serious mental illness who are involved with the criminal justice system could receive 24/7 community-based treatment and supports, reducing psychiatric hospitalizations and emergency department visits.
Communities could see reduced recidivism and lower justice-system costs if FACT teams cut arrests and reoffending among participants.
States and localities — including rural areas — will receive federal grant funding and an implementation framework to start or scale FACT programs, lowering startup and expansion barriers.
Local programs risk losing services when initial federal grant funding expires after five years, creating sustainability challenges for states, counties, and health systems.
Linking treatment programs to criminal justice involvement could create privacy and civil‑liberties risks if data-sharing or coerced participation occur without strong safeguards.
Implementing multidisciplinary FACT teams may strain local provider capacity and require hiring and training (psychiatrists, forensic peers, justice partners), which could be especially difficult in rural areas.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates a 5-year HHS grant pilot to expand forensic ACT teams and funds a National Academies study on scaling, fidelity, and costs.
Establishes a five-year HHS pilot grant program to expand forensic assertive community treatment (FACT) teams that provide community-based, intensive mental health services to people involved with the criminal justice system. It funds grants to state and local governments (and subgrantees) to scale FACT programs and authorizes appropriations for fiscal years 2027–2032. Requires HHS to contract with the National Academies within 60 days to study FACT program metrics, fidelity, scaling options (including rural adaptations), costs, and cost-benefit analysis; the Academies must report within 18 months and HHS must publish that report. $1.5 million is authorized for the study, available until expended.
Official title: To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, to establish a 5-year pilot program under which the Secretary will award grants to eligible entities for purposes of expanding forensic assertive community treatment team programs.
Introduced July 14, 2026 by Alma Adams · Last progress July 14, 2026