Sherrill Introduces Fourth Pillar of SAFE NJ Agenda to Lower Crime Rates and Reduce Recidivism Through Access to Mental Health Services

Parsippany, N.J. – Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11), former Outreach and Reentry Coordinator at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, sat down with county prosecutors, law enforcement officials, and mental health professionals to hear about their work to address mental health needs in the criminal justice system, and to discuss the next pillar of the Congresswoman’s public safety agenda, the Improving Mental Healthcare in the Re-Entry System Act. This evidence-based legislation will help to improve public safety by expanding access to mental health treatment for justice-involved individuals.

This bill is the fourth piece of legislation in her SAFE New Jersey agenda, which provides funding for community-based services that have strong evidence of reducing crime as well as for our law enforcement agencies:

Summer Youth Employment Funding (Strengthening Communities through Summer Employment Act)

Access to Mental Health Resources(Improving Mental Healthcare in the Re-Entry System Act)

Fighting Auto Thefts(Auto Theft Prevention Act)

Educational Opportunities through High-Impact Tutoring(Expanding Access to High-Impact Tutoring Act)

The roundtable was hosted at the Mental Health Association of Essex and Morris (MHA) in Parsippany and included representatives from MHA’s Collaborative Justice Services, the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, Essex County Sheriff’s Office, and the NJ State Association of the Chiefs of Police. 

“I am constantly working to make New Jersey a better, safer, and more affordable place to live, work, and raise a family – and a key part of this work is my SAFE New Jersey Agenda. It was clear in yesterday’s discussion that, here in New Jersey, we know firsthand that some of the best ways to lower crime rates and improve community safety are by making sure justice-involved individuals have the mental health resources they need to succeed,” said Rep. Sherrill. “I am introducing the Mental Healthcare in the Re-Entry System Act to provide more mental health resources to individuals serving time in jails and prisons and to ensure that support continues once they return to their communities. These critical resources are an important step in reducing recidivism rates and preventing crime across the Garden State. As we kick off Police Week I want to thank New Jersey’s law enforcement officials for their hard work, sacrifice, and commitment to partnering with mental health professionals in pilot programs like Arrive Together and the collaborative justice services offered in Morris and Essex Counties.”

“The Mental Health Association of Essex and Morris, Inc. enthusiastically supports this bill. Congresswoman Sherrill’s approach is innovative and based upon evidenced based best practices. The proposed program will enhance public safety, improve the lives of individuals with mental illness and reduce costs to the taxpayer. These are tough issues that a lot of people ignore. We appreciate that Congresswoman Sherrill has leaned in,” said Bob Davison, CEO of the Mental Health Association of Essex and Morris, Inc.

“Rep. Sherrill’s legislation is a justice bill that will help divert individuals who should not be in the criminal justice system to the professionals they need to get their lives back on track,” said Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens. “This bill is at the forefront of where we need to go with criminal justice – being able to identify individuals who need not be involved with the justice system criminally, but who have an identified, diagnosed problem that can be met and dealt with in a medical fashion. Rep. Sherrill’s bill is in line with our objectives and we’re happy to be a part of it.”

“My Office appreciates the opportunity to work with Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill in her efforts to assist those coping with mental health issues. Our ongoing coordinated efforts with partner agencies, including the Congresswoman, the Mental Health Association of Essex & Morris, Morris County Sheriff’s Office, the Morris County Police Chiefs Association, and the Office of the Attorney General demonstrates our commitment to work together to try alternative interventions that allow people in crisis to be treated with dignity and compassion, while still focusing on protecting the public. Recognizing when mental illness drives behavior and connecting individuals to services through Mental Health Diversion programs and Re-Entry support will undoubtedly decrease recidivism and enhance the safety of the community at large,” said Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll.

“The mental health of law enforcement officers, their families, victims, and those incarcerated is something that is now getting the attention and programming which is sorely needed.  I commend Congresswoman Sherrill for working with the community on this initiative and was proud to sit on this panel in support of it,” said Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura.

“Rep. Sherrill’s summer youth employment and tutoring programs would provide opportunities for youth to find meaningful work. For us at government agencies, it’s important we get involved to try and give our kids the support and resources they need to go on a positive track. Regarding the mental health intersection, we see time and time again the same person over and over. One of the things that has been most beneficial to us is the follow up that is involved. We can get them to the hospital, we can get them to services, but who is there to come back and say, ‘are you making your appointments’. Those are the things that will drive down the number of times we have to see the same person over and over,” said Andrew Caggiano, Montville Chief of Police and Vice President of the New Jersey Association of Chiefs of Police. 

“The New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police is a strong advocate of government programs that proactively address the cycle of incarceration and re-arrest. We have seen a startling number of incarcerated individuals suffering from mental health issues, often leading to a lifetime of crime. We applaud this proposed federal legislation to better address the ongoing issue, providing important mental health screenings and referrals for mental healthcare. We appreciate Rep. Mikie Sherrill’s commitment to this bill; it is important for lawmakers and law enforcement to work hand-in-hand to reduce our prison populations by guiding people to the mental health services they require,” said Ed Kerr, President of the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police.  

“Historically, the sheriffs of New Jersey have been responsible for the oversight and control of individuals entering the correctional system through the administration of county jails. This 350-year tradition of safeguarding the citizens of our great state will be strengthened through the utilization of the grant money that will be made available through Congresswoman Sherrill’s forward-thinking legislation,” said Gilbert L. “Whip” Wilson, President of the Sheriffs Association of New Jersey.

“It is the Morris County Correctional Facility’s belief that conducting mental health screenings listed in the proposed legislation would not only benefit the productive reentry of an incarcerated person into society, but it will also benefit the public due to identifying possible mental health issues and treating those issues [prior to release]. The more mental health issues that can be identified and addressed by qualified personnel coupled with an effective reentry will help an individual’s chance of succeeding once released,” said Chris Klein, Warden for the Morris County Correctional Facility.

“Many of today’s criminal acts are the result of mental health issues that have been unaddressed. In most cases, these issues remain untreated and re-awaken, resulting in recidivism, endangering the lives of our officers, the community, and the offender/patient. Congresswoman Sherrill’s bill will provide much needed access to intervention and treatment of these disorders and may prevent additional crimes and catastrophic events, thus saving lives,” said Sam A. Cabral, International President of the International Union of Police Associations.

The legislation has also been endorsed by the International Union of Police Associations, Sheriffs Association of New Jersey, and Mental Health Association of Essex and Morris (NJ).

The Improving Mental Healthcare in the Re-Entry System Act provides funding to the Bureau of Prisons, States, and localities to carry out mental health screenings and provide referrals to mental healthcare providers for incarcerated individuals upon release.

• The legislation is based on an innovative mental health program developed by the Johnson County, Kansas jail system in 2016. A rigorous study of the program found that it increased the rate at which released individuals were connected to mental healthcare by 27 percentage points and reduced recidivism within one year by 7.6 percentage points (compared to a baseline one-year recidivism rate of 46.3%, so a 16% decline).
• Access to mental health services is so important because almost 70% of individuals released from state prisons have been arrested again within three years and a lack of access to mental healthcare for those in the criminal justice system likely plays an important role in this cycle of incarceration and re-arrest. About 40% of incarcerated individuals have a mental health condition and 16% have a severe mental illness, and inmates with severe mental illnesses are twice as likely to return to prison compared to those without such illnesses.

Before she was elected to Congress, Rep. Sherrill served as the Outreach and Reentry Coordinator at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Jersey, where she worked to reduce recidivism and help individuals leaving federal prison successfully reintegrate into society. In Congress, Rep. Sherrill has introduced her SAFE NJ agenda, consisting of four common sense bills to improve community safety and reduce crime rates in New Jersey. 

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