Federal grants expand mental health diversion from criminal justice system
H.R. 9669 — FACT Pilot Program Act · Filed by Alma Adams (D-NC) · 5 cosponsors · Introduced Jul 14, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill establishes a 5-year federal grant program to help states and local governments expand forensic assertive community treatment (FACT) teams—specialized programs that provide intensive, round-the-clock mental health care, addiction treatment, housing, and job training to people with serious mental illness who are involved with the criminal justice system. The bill also funds a National Academies study to measure program effectiveness and develop best practices for scaling these programs nationally.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core mechanism is a straightforward federal grant program to expand existing forensic assertive community treatment teams—a public health intervention aimed at reducing criminal justice involvement among people with serious mental illness. The study component adds evidence-gathering and policy development.
What the text implies
- The bill's success depends on states and localities already operating FACT programs or willing to partner with them; rural areas may face barriers to implementation, though the study is directed to address rural adaptation needs.
- Grant funding flows through state/local governments but may be subgranted to nonprofit organizations, managed care entities, or other providers—creating potential for variation in service quality and fidelity to the FACT model across jurisdictions.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
State and local governments (grant recipients); Nonprofit mental health organizations and licensed treatment agencies (subgrant recipients); Managed care organizations (potential subgrant recipients)