"Improving Mental Healthcare in the Re-Entry System Act of 2026"; enact.

S. B. No. 2773 *SS26/R1211* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/SS26/R1211
PAGE 1 (rdd\kr)

To: Corrections;
Appropriations
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Senator(s) Jackson

SENATE BILL NO. 2773

AN ACT ENTITLED THE "IMPROVING MENTAL HEALTHCARE IN THE 1
RE-ENTRY SYSTEM ACT OF 2026"; TO AUTHORIZE THE COMMISSIONER OF 2
CORRECTIONS, WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, TO 3
ESTABLISH A GRANT PROGRAM TO IMPLEMENT AND ADMINISTER MENTAL 4
HEALTH SCREENINGS TO INDIVIDUALS AT INTAKE INTO AN ELIGIBLE 5
DETENTION CENTER AND REFER SUCH INDIVIDUALS TO MENTAL HEALTHCARE 6
PROVIDERS BEFORE OR IMMEDIATELY AFTER EXIT FROM AN ELIGIBLE 7
DETENTION CENTER, AS APPLICABLE, TO PROVIDE FOR THE EMPLOYMENT OF 8
MENTAL HEALTH LIAISON STAFF AT EACH ELIGIBLE DETENTION CENTER; TO 9
PROVIDE FOR BRIEF MENTAL HEALTH SURVEYS FOR SUCH INDIVIDUALS; TO 10
PROVIDE FOR MENTAL HEALTH OUTREACH TEAMS TO MAKE CONTACT ATTEMPTS 11
WITH SUCH INDIVIDUALS; TO PROVIDE FOR IMPACT EVALUATION 12
REQUIREMENTS; TO PROVIDE THAT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GRANT PROGRAM 13
SHALL BE THROUGH THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS IN 14
COORDINATION WITH THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH; TO 15
PROVIDE FOR MANDATORY PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATION AND VOLUNTARY 16
PARTICIPATION IN TREATMENT PROGRAMS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 17
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 18
SECTION 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be 19
cited as the "Improving Mental Healthcare in the Re-Entry System 20
Act of 2026." 21
SECTION 2. Grant program. (1) The Mississippi Department 22
of Corrections shall implement the additional re-entry programs 23
prescribed in this act. 24
S. B. No. 2773 *SS26/R1211* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R1211
PAGE 2 (rdd\kr)

(2) Not later than ninety (90) days after the date of the 25
enactment of this act, the Commissioner of Corrections with the 26
assistance of the the Attorney General shall establish a grant 27
program to implement and administer mental health screenings to 28
individuals at intake into an eligible detention center and refer 29
such individuals to mental healthcare providers before or 30
immediately after exit from an eligible detention center, as 31
applicable. 32
(3) In carrying out the program, the Commissioner of 33
Corrections may award a grant on a competitive basis to an 34
eligible recipient in accordance with this section. 35
(4) The commissioner may award a grant under the program to 36
a state or locality, determined by the commissioner to carry out a 37
project described in subsection (5) of this section. 38
(5) (a) To be eligible for a grant under the program, a 39
state or locality shall hire a mental health liaison staff member 40
for each eligible detention center under its jurisdiction. If an 41
eligible detention center has a small enough population, subject 42
to approval by the advisory board, one (1) mental health liaison 43
staff member may cover multiple detention centers. The mental 44
health liaison staff member shall be responsible for: 45
(i) Coordinating efforts between the prison or 46
jail and mental health providers in the local region to help 47
individuals currently or formerly in prison or jail access mental 48
healthcare; 49
S. B. No. 2773 *SS26/R1211* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R1211
PAGE 3 (rdd\kr)

(ii) Coordinating with the advisory board to 50
ensure that the program is operating in accordance with this 51
section; and 52
(iii) Overseeing and coordinating activities of 53
the outreach team (as described in subsection (8) of this 54
section). 55
(b) To be eligible for a grant under the program, a 56
state or locality shall submit a plan to the advisory board 57
explaining how the program established shall meet the criteria 58
under subsection (6) of this section. 59
(c) To be eligible for a grant under the program, a 60
state or locality shall partner with the advisory board and an 61
independent research organization to evaluate the impact of their 62
program as a condition of receiving a grant, and are also required 63
to share relevant data with the advisory board and the research 64
organization contracted with by the commissioner regarding 65
individuals' participation in the mental health screen and 66
referral program and their arrest, arraignment and incarceration 67
rates. 68
(6) Grant funds awarded under the program may only be used 69
to: 70
(a) Develop and administer a brief mental health 71
screening survey as required under subsection (7) of this section. 72
(b) Develop any technology necessary for a prison or 73
jail to provide the survey. 74
S. B. No. 2773 *SS26/R1211* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R1211
PAGE 4 (rdd\kr)

(c) Hire any staff necessary for a prison or jail to 75
provide the survey. 76
(d) Establish an outreach team pursuant to subsection 77
(8) of this section to refer an individual, if their responses to 78
the survey indicate severe mental illness, to a local mental 79
healthcare provider for further assessment and outreach, admission 80
(when necessary), and support for that individual in 81
re-establishing ties with a mental health provider. 82
(e) Pay the salary or overtime pay of an outreach team 83
as established, including providing direct funding to a prison, 84
jail, or mental health center to compensate staff members. 85
(7) The mental health screening survey developed and 86
administered under subsection (6) of this section shall: 87
(a) Be composed of five (5) to ten (10) questions. 88
(b) Be based on the questions and content of the Brief 89
Jail Mental Health Screen (BJMHS). 90
(c) Seek to identify severe mental illnesses, including 91
schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression. 92
(d) Ask individuals about the symptoms of severe mental 93
illness they may be experiencing or have experienced and any prior 94
use of mental health-related medications or inpatient care. 95
(e) Identify the individual's place of residence. 96
(f) Be administered by a trained staff member at the 97
jail or prison to all entering individuals who are incarcerated in 98
S. B. No. 2773 *SS26/R1211* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R1211
PAGE 5 (rdd\kr)

the jail or prison and to all incarcerated individuals who entered 99
the jail or prison before the survey was implemented. 100
(8) (a) A referral to a mental healthcare provider, as 101
described in subsection (6) of this section, shall be made by a 102
mental health outreach team that is composed of: 103
(i) Mental healthcare professionals and clinicians 104
from mental healthcare centers local to the prison or jail; 105
(ii) Staff from the jail or prison, when 106
applicable; and 107
(iii) A mental health liaison staff member who 108
shall oversee the outreach team. 109
(b) If an individual has been determined to need a 110
referral to a mental healthcare provider, the mental health 111
outreach team shall be notified immediately by jail or prison 112
staff and informed, when applicable, of the individual's release 113
date from such jail or prison and the individual's trial date. 114
(c) (i) A mental health outreach team member shall 115
first attempt to contact an individual that has been determined to 116
need a referral to a mental healthcare provider in person at the 117
jail or prison, before such individual is released. If in-person 118
contact was not made before such individual was released from 119
prison or jail, the outreach team member shall attempt to contact 120
via telephone such individual within twenty-four (24) hours, and 121
at the latest within forty-eight (48) hours, of their release from 122
jail or prison for the purpose of making the mental health 123
S. B. No. 2773 *SS26/R1211* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R1211
PAGE 6 (rdd\kr)

referral. The mental health outreach team member shall not need 124
to contact the individual via telephone after release if such 125
contact was made in person. 126
(ii) A mental health outreach team member shall 127
make at least three (3) attempts at telephone contact for each 128
individual that has been determined to need a referral to a mental 129
healthcare provider if in person contact before release was not 130
made. If phone contact is unsuccessful, a mental health outreach 131
team member shall attempt to contact the individual in person at 132
their place of residence, as provided on the mental health survey.133
SECTION 3. Advisory board on program implementation. Not 134
later than sixty (60) days after the date of the enactment of this 135
act, the commissioner shall establish an advisory board to manage 136
and administer the program under Section 2 of this act, with the 137
responsibility to: 138
(a) Evaluate and approve the plans submitted by a state 139
or locality as required under Section 2 of this act and to ensure 140
that grant funding is used as specified under Section 2 of this 141
act. 142
(b) Monitor plans submitted by the Department of 143
Corrections and advise the commissioner on compliance to ensure 144
that funding is used as specified under Section 2 of this act. 145
(c) Provide technical assistance to a state or locality 146
to help with the implementation and administration of mental 147
health screening and referral programs that maximize impact on 148
S. B. No. 2773 *SS26/R1211* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R1211
PAGE 7 (rdd\kr)

reducing crime rates and improving employment and wage rates for 149
individuals released from prison or jail, and to assist a state or 150
locality's coordination with the commissioner in implementing the 151
program. 152
(d) Publish a database of completed evaluations of the 153
impact of a program, as specified under Section 4 of this act. 154
(e) Create a working group of mental healthcare 155
providers, jail and prison administrators, law enforcement 156
officials, and operators of existing mental health screening and 157
referral programs, as of the creation of the working group, to 158
share best practices on how to create and implement mental health 159
screening and referral programs that have the largest impact on 160
reducing crime rates and improving employment and wage rates for 161
individuals released from prison or jail. 162
(f) Work in coordination with mental health outreach 163
teams as established under Section 2 of this act, to ensure that 164
the program is operating as required. 165
(g) Determine if a grant awarded by the program is not 166
meeting the requirements of the program and mandate necessary 167
changes and reduce funding if such changes are not made. 168
(h) Oversee the completion of required program 169
evaluations as described under Section 4 of this act, by: 170
(i) Contracting with one or more independent 171
research organizations to carry out an evaluation of the impact of 172
each grant awarded under the program on arrest, arraignment, and 173
S. B. No. 2773 *SS26/R1211* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R1211
PAGE 8 (rdd\kr)

incarceration rates, employment and wage rates, and mental 174
healthcare utilization rates of individuals who have been 175
administered mental health screening; and 176
(ii) Working with the Department of Corrections, 177
states, and localities to ensure that the evaluation is 178
successfully completed. 179
(i) The advisory board shall provide technical 180
assistance to the Department of Corrections, states, and 181
localities in setting up and administering the program and shall 182
identify evidence-backed models for the administration of mental 183
health screening and referral programs that the Department of 184
Corrections, states, and localities can look to when designing 185
their own programs. 186
(j) Not later than one (1) year after the program 187
begins, the advisory board shall conduct a process evaluation for 188
a grant awarded under the program, in which the implementation of 189
the surveys and referrals in each prison or jail is monitored and 190
evaluated to ensure that they are being carried out as specified 191
in the plan submitted to the advisory board. 192
(k) The Commissioner of Corrections shall appoint 193
members to serve on the advisory board established under this 194
section who have expertise with respect to: 195
(i) Designing and administering mental health 196
screenings and providing referrals for those incarcerated in 197
S. B. No. 2773 *SS26/R1211* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R1211
PAGE 9 (rdd\kr)

prisons or jails, or for those who have recently left such 198
facilities; 199
(ii) Mental healthcare within prisons or jails; or 200
(iii) Program evaluation using rigorous 201
experimental and quasi-experimental statistical methods. 202
(l) The commissioner shall appoint as many members to 203
the advisory board established under this section as deemed 204
necessary. 205
SECTION 4. (1) The commissioner may provide funding 206
directly to the advisory board for the purpose of contracting with 207
one or more independent research organizations, in partnership 208
with the Department of Corrections, states, and localities, to 209
carry out an evaluation to determine whether each grant awarded 210
under the program is being implemented effectively and to measure 211
the impact of such programs. 212
(2) Not later than one (1) year after a recipient of a grant 213
awarded under the program receives an award they shall conduct an 214
impact evaluation for its program, in which the surveys and 215
referrals in each prison or jail will be evaluated for their 216
effect on the criminal justice and economic outcomes of 217
individuals who receive the survey. Such impact evaluation shall 218
be conducted by an independent research organization, with 219
oversight from the advisory board and include an analysis of the 220
impact of the survey and referral on participant crime rates, 221
including arrest, arraignment, and incarceration rates, 222
S. B. No. 2773 *SS26/R1211* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R1211
PAGE 10 (rdd\kr)

participant employment and wage rates, and participant mental 223
healthcare utilization rates for one (1) year, three (3) years, 224
five (5) years, and ten (10) years after the participant has 225
completed the survey and referral program. These analyses will 226
use administrative data collected by the Department of Public 227
Safety, for the crime rate data, and the Department of Labor, for 228
the employment and wage rate data. States shall provide this data 229
to the independent research organization. For the mental health 230
utilization data, data from mental health providers and, if 231
necessary, from outreach to the individuals who participated in 232
the survey and referral program shall be utilized. 233
(3) Once evaluations become available, the advisory board 234
will be required to keep an updated database of the impact of 235
programs funded under the grant program and how those programs 236
were implemented and administered, with the goal of creating a 237
repository of evidence regarding what drives impact on crime rates 238
and employment and wage rates to guide policymakers and program 239
operators in the future. 240
SECTION 5. In this act: 241
(a) The term "mental healthcare provider" means a fully 242
licensed professional or group of professionals who diagnose 243
mental health conditions and provide mental health treatment, and 244
who operate near to the relevant jail or prison. Mental 245
healthcare providers may provide services at hospitals or at 246
private clinics. 247
S. B. No. 2773 *SS26/R1211* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R1211
PAGE 11 (rdd\kr)

(b) The term "mental healthcare center" means any 248
facility where one or more mental healthcare providers offer 249
mental health services, such as a hospital or private clinic. 250
(c) The term "law enforcement official" means any 251
officer of an entity administered by a locality, state, or the 252
federal government that exists primarily to prevent and detect 253
crime and enforce criminal laws who is designated by the 254
leadership of that entity to represent the entity. 255
(d) The term "eligible detention center" means any 256
prison or jail administered by the Mississippi Department of 257
Corrections or any jail administered by a local governmental 258
entity. 259
(e) The term "severe mental illness" means one or more 260
mental, behavioral, or emotional disorders that results in serious 261
functional impairment and substantially interferes with or limits 262
major life activities. 263
(f) The term "independent research organization" means 264
an entity that is not operated or controlled by a governmental 265
body that conducts high-quality and rigorous experimental and 266
quasi-experimental evaluations. 267
(g) The term "quasi-experimental research design" means 268
a study design that utilizes a nonrandomized methodology and model 269
to determine the impact of the program on participants, by 270
comparing program outcomes between a nonrandomly assigned sample 271
population that has received the survey and referral and a 272
S. B. No. 2773 *SS26/R1211* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R1211
PAGE 12 (rdd\kr)

nonrandomly assigned control population that is constructed to be 273
statistically identical to the sample population but without 274
having received the survey and referral. 275
SECTION 6. (1) The purpose of this act is to improve public 276
safety, reduce recidivism, and support successful reentry by 277
ensuring that every individual released from MDOC custody receives 278
a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation and appropriate continuity 279
of mental health care prior to and post-release, under the 280
following conditions: 281
(a) Mandatory psychiatric evaluation requires a 282
licensed psychiatrist or clinical psychologist to conduct a 283
comprehensive mental health evaluation within a defined period 284
prior to release. 285
(b) Continuity of care planning requires development of 286
a post-release mental health care plan, including referrals to 287
community providers, medication continuity when applicable, and 288
crisis intervention resources. 289
(c) Documentation and accountability requires 290
evaluations and care plans to be documented and included in 291
reentry records, with clear standards to prevent diagnoses from 292
being dropped or disregarded. 293
(d) Voluntary participation with safeguards. 294
Participation in treatment remains voluntary, with safeguards to 295
ensure evaluations are used for treatment and support purposes, 296
not punitive decision-making. 297
S. B. No. 2773 *SS26/R1211* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R1211
PAGE 13 (rdd\kr)
ST: "Improving Mental Healthcare in the Re-
Entry System Act of 2026"; enact.
(e) Implementation should be overseen through MDOC in 298
coordination with the Mississippi Department of Mental Health, 299
with periodic reporting to the Legislature on compliance, 300
outcomes, and resource needs. 301
(2) This act shall focus on prevention and stabilization, 302
recognizing that untreated mental illness and trauma following 303
long-term incarceration pose risks not only to the individual, but 304
to families, staff, and the public. 305
SECTION 7. This act shall take effect and be in force from 306
and after July 1, 2025. 307