HB 1337 — Appropriation for mental health & substance use treatment for incarcerated individuals (summary)
Status
- Introduced (filed): November 14, 2024 (committee report dated Jan 28, 2025).
- Considered in public hearing: April 14, 2025 (testimony recorded).
- Final disposition: Died in House Committee at sine die adjournment (May 5, 2025).
Purpose and intent
- Provide state funding to expand access to mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment for individuals who are incarcerated by providing grants to counties to deliver these services.
Key provisions
- Appropriation: $10,000,000 from the State general fund (or so much as necessary) for the biennium beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2027.
- Use of funds: Grants to counties to support mental health and SUD treatment services for incarcerated individuals.
- Grant administration: The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) may distribute the funds as county grants and may contract with private entities/authorized agents to provide the services.
- County reporting: Each county receiving a grant must report annually to DHHS on: funds expended, services provided, individuals served, outcomes, and challenges.
- State reporting: DHHS must report to legislative management by September 2026 summarizing county reports and contracted treatment services, and include recommendations for future funding or program changes.
Who is affected
- Primary recipients: Counties that apply for and receive grants to deliver in-jail or correctional mental health and SUD services.
- Service recipients: Incarcerated individuals who receive mental health and substance use disorder treatment funded by grants.
- State agencies: DHHS (administration, contracting, and reporting responsibilities).
- Potential private providers: Organizations contracted to deliver services.
- Fiscal impact: State general fund appropriation of $10 million for FY2026–FY2027; counties receiving grants will have increased program funding and reporting obligations.
Fiscal and programmatic considerations
- Direct appropriation of $10,000,000 for the 2025–2027 biennium (explicit in the bill language).
- Implementation will require DHHS capacity for grant administration, contract oversight and compilation of county reports for the September 2026 legislative management report.
- Potential outcomes include increased access to treatment in jails, variations in county capacity to use funds effectively, and data to inform future program design.
Note on procedural history
- The bill was referred, heard, and left pending in committee before ultimately failing to advance before adjournment (died in committee).
