,i  #aacth ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #cabc  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,september #ah1      
#bjac,mr4 ,carson of ,indiana 7for      
himself1 ,mr4 ,cartwright1 ,ms4         
,edwards1 ,ms4 ,lee of ,california1 ,mr4
 ,lewis1 ,mr4 ,meeks1 ,ms4 ,norton1 and 
,mr4 ,rangel7 introduced the following  
bill2 which was referred to the         
,committee on ,ways and ,means1 and in  
addition to the ,committee on ,energy   
and ,commerce1 for a period to be       
subsequently determined by the ,speaker1
 in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the           
jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
,a ,,bill  ,to ensure prompt access to  
,supplemental ,security ,income1 ,social
 ,security disability1 and ,medicaid    
benefits for persons released from      
certain public institutions4  #a4 ,short
 title ,this ,act may be cited as the   
,recidivism ,reduction ,act4  #b4       
,findings ,the ,congress finds as       
follows3 7#a7 ,there are an estimated   

#cej1jjj mentally ill individuals in    
,state and ,federal prisons4  7#b7      
,according to the ,bureau of ,justice   
,statistics1 nearly #ae percent of men  
and #ca percent of women in jails have  
serious mental illnesses1 with female   
inmates having higher rates of mental   
health problems than male               
inmates--,state prisons3 #gc percent of 
females and #ee percent of males2 local 
jails3 #ge percent of females and #fc   
percent of males4  7#c7 ,according to   
surveys completed by the ,bureau of     
,justice ,statistics1 #af4c percent of  
jail inmates reported they had a mental 
health condition or an overnight stay in
 a mental hospital in their lifetime1   
and #fj4e percent of local jail inmates 
reported they had symptoms of a mental  
illness4  7#d7 ,access to ,federal      
disability and health care benefits is a
 critical component of the successful   
re-entry into the community of indigent 
individuals with disabilities who are   
released from jail1 prison1 juvenile    

detention1 or other correctional        
facilities4  7#e7 ,as a matter of public
 safety1 individuals with disabilities  
released from correctional facilities   
must be reinstated in the ,federal      
benefit programs that are designed to   
provide the health services and         
financial supports on which they rely4  
7#f7 ,individuals with disabilities who 
live in extreme poverty and who are too 
disabled to work after release from     
correctional facilities require         
,government supports such as ,social    
,security ,disability ,insurance        
7,,ssdi71 ,supplemental ,security       
,income 7,,ssi71 or ,medicaid to        
maintain health and to safely transition
 from correctional facilities into the  
community4  7#g7 ,it is the policy of   
the ,united ,states to provide          
individuals with disabilities assistance
 in leading healthy and productive      
lives4  7#h7 ,on average1 mentally ill  
inmates serve #ajc4d months in ,state   
prison until their release1 as compared 

to #hh4b months for other inmates4 ,yet1
 their ,,ssi benefits terminate after   
#ab consecutive months of their         
incarceration4 ,on average1 it takes #ic
 days to reinstate those benefits4  7#i7
 ,health care benefits are especially   
important to low-income individuals with
 disabilities who often cannot afford   
private market insurance and who are at 
great risk of incurring exorbitant costs
 for health care4 ,,ssi beneficiaries   
who lose benefits because of            
incarceration may also lose ,medicaid   
coverage4  7#aj7 ,without prompt access 
to ,federal disability benefits on their
 release1 individuals with psychiatric  
disabilities who come into contact with 
the criminal justice system often become
 trapped in many cycles of arrest1      
release1 destitution1 deterioration1 and
 re-arrest4  7#aa7 ,rates for mentally  
ill offenders are very high4 ,a ,bureau 
of ,justice ,statistics report found    
that over #c_/d of mentally ill inmates 
had been sentenced to time in prison or 

jail or were on probation at least once 
before their current sentence4 7,a7     
,three-quarters of those returning from 
prison have a history of substance use  
disorders4 ,over #gj percent of         
prisoners with serious mental illnesses 
also have a substance use disorder4     
7,b7 ,among repeat offenders1 an        
estimated #dg percent of ,state         
prisoners who had a mental health       
problem were violent recidivists1       
compared to #ci percent of ,state       
prisoners without a mental problem4     
7#ab7 ,among the mentally ill1 #eb      
percent of ,state prison inmates1 #ed   
percent of jail inmates1 and #di percent
 of ,federal prison inmates reported #c 
or more prior sentences of probation or 
incarceration4  7#ac7 ,nearly #a_/d of  
both ,state prisoners and jail inmates  
who had a mental health problem1        
compared to #a_/e of those without1 had 
been incarcerated on #c or more prior   
occasions4  7#ad7 ,although             
discharge-planning practices vary       

considerably1 inmates are typically     
released with no more than a #b-week    
supply of even crucial medications such 
as insulin and with no primary care     
follow-up1 so the burden of care falls  
predominantly on emergency rooms and is 
financed primarily by the public4  #c4  
,supplemental security income benefits  
7a7 ,reinstatement or resumption of     
benefits on release of inmate from      
incarceration ,section #afca of the     
,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4   
#achc7 is amended by adding at the end  
the following3  7q7 7#a7 7,a7 7i7       
,eligibility for benefits under this    
title shall be reinstated in any case   
where the ,commissioner determines that 
an individual described in clause 7ii7  
has filed a request for reinstatement   
meeting the requirements of subparagraph
 7,b77i7 during the period described in 
clause 7iii74 ,reinstatement of         
eligibility shall be in accordance with 
the terms of this paragraph4            
,notwithstanding the preceding          

provisions of this clause1 eligibility  
for benefits under this title of an     
individual who has become an inmate of a
 jail1 prison1 penal institution1 or    
correctional facility shall be          
reinstated automatically upon discharge 
or release from the institution1 without
 the need to reapply for the benefits1  
if the period of sentence to the        
institution does not exceed #ij days4   
7ii7 ,an individual is described in this
 clause if-- 7,i7 before the month in   
which the individual files a request for
 reinstatement-- 7aa7 the individual was
 eligible for benefits under this title 
on the basis of disability2 and  7bb7   
the individual thereafter was ineligible
 for such benefits because the          
individual was an inmate of a jail1     
prison1 penal institution1 or           
correctional facility for a period of   
#ab or more consecutive months2  7,,ii7 
the individual is blind or disabled1 and
 the individual's blindness or          
disability renders the individual unable

 to perform substantial gainful         
activity2 and  7,,iii7 the individual   
meets the nonmedical requirements for   
eligibility for benefits under this     
title4  7iii7 7,i7 ,except as provided  
in subclause 7,,ii71 the period         
prescribed in this clause with respect  
to an individual is #cf consecutive     
months beginning with the month         
following the most recent month for     
which the individual was ineligible for 
benefits under this title before the    
period of ineligibility described in    
clause 7ii77,i77bb74  7,,ii7 ,in the    
case of an individual who fails to file 
a reinstatement request within the      
period described in subclause 7,i71 the 
,commissioner may extend the period if  
the ,commissioner determines that the   
individual had good cause for the       
failure to so file4  7,b7 7i7 7,i7 ,a   
request for reinstatement shall be filed
 on such form1 and contain such         
information1 as the ,commissioner may   
prescribe4  7,,ii7 ,a request for       

reinstatement shall include express     
declarations by the individual stating  
that the individual meets the           
requirements specified in subclauses    
7,,ii7 and 7,,iii7 of subparagraph      
7,a77ii74  7,,iii7 ,a request for       
reinstatement shall include an express  
declaration by a health care            
professional that the individual is     
blind or disabled4  7ii7 ,a request for 
reinstatement filed in accordance with  
this paragraph may constitute an        
application for benefits in the case of 
any individual who the ,commissioner    
determines is not eligible for          
reinstated benefits under this          
paragraph4  7,c7 ,in determining whether
 an individual meets the requirement of 
subparagraph 7,a77ii77,,ii71 the        
provisions of section #afad7;a77#d7     
shall apply4  7,d7 7i7 ,eligibility for 
benefits reinstated under this paragraph
 shall commence with the benefit payable
 for the month in which-- 7,i7 a request
 for reinstatement is filed2 or  7,,ii7 

if the request is filed before the      
individual is discharged or released    
from a jail1 prison1 detention center1  
or correctional facility1 the individual
 is so discharged or released4  7ii7    
,the amount of benefit payable for any  
month pursuant to the reinstatement of  
eligibility under this paragraph shall  
be determined in accordance with the    
provisions of this title4  7,e7         
,whenever an individual's eligibility   
for benefits under this title is        
reinstated under this paragraph1        
eligibility for the benefits shall be   
reinstated with respect to the          
individual's spouse if the spouse was   
previously an eligible spouse of the    
individual under this title and the     
,commissioner determines that the spouse
 satisfies all the requirements for     
eligibility for the benefits except     
requirements related to the filing of an
 application4 ,the provisions of        
subparagraph 7,d7 shall apply to the    
reinstated eligibility of the spouse to 

the same extent that they apply to the  
reinstated eligibility of the           
individual4  7#b7 ,for purposes of this 
subsection1 the term benefits under this
 title includes ,state supplementary    
payments made pursuant to an agreement  
under section #afaf7;a7 of this ,act or 
section #bab7;b7 of ,public ,law #ic-ff4
  4  7b7 ,cooperation of penal          
institutions in providing notice of     
pending release of inmate and in        
assisting soon ,to be released inmates  
in having benefits resumed  7#a7 ,in    
general ,section #afaa7;e77#a77;,i77i7  
of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4             
#achb7;e77#a77;,i77i77 is amended-- 7,a7
 in subclause 7,i71 by inserting and    
scheduled release after commencement2   
and  7,b7 in subclause 7,,ii7-- 7i7 by  
inserting 7other than scheduled release 
information7 before to the              
,commissioner2  7ii7 by inserting 7other
 than scheduled release information7    
before after #cj days2 and  7iii7 by    
inserting except that the ,commissioner 

shall not make a payment under this     
subclause to an institution if the      
institution does not furnish scheduled  
release information at least #cj days   
before the scheduled release or does not
 have in place personnel and procedures 
to inform and assist inmates scheduled  
to be released in applying to have their
 benefits under this title resumed      
before the period4  7#b7 ,effective date
 ,the amendments made by paragraph 7#a7 
shall take effect #a year after the date
 of the enactment of this ,act4  7#c7   
,notice of requirement to furnish       
information about scheduled release of  
inmates ,the ,commissioner of ,social   
,security shall notify each institution 
with which the ,commissioner has entered
 into an agreement under section        
#afaa7;e77#a77;,i77i7 of the ,social    
,security ,act of the payment           
restriction added by paragraph 7#a7 of  
this subsection4  7c7 ,notice and       
training related to pre-,release        
agreements ,section #afaa7;e77#a77;,i7  

of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4             
#achb7;e77#a77;,i77 is amended by adding
 at the end the following3  7v7 ,the    
,commissioner shall provide technical   
support and resources to each ,state or 
local institution comprising a jail1    
prison1 penal institution1 or           
correctional facility1 and any other    
,state or local institution a purpose of
 which is to confine individuals as     
described in section                    
#bjb7x77#a77;,a77ii7 with respect to1   
and notify each such institution of the 
availability of1 the pre-release        
agreements provided for in this         
subparagraph4  7vi7 ,within #f months   
after the end of each fiscal year1 the  
,commissioner shall submit to the       
,congress a written report on the       
activities conducted pursuant to this   
subparagraph during the fiscal year4    
7vii7 ,the ,commissioner shall develop  
model pre-release procedures which      
,states may use to facilitate the goals 
of this subparagraph4  4  7d7 ,effective

 date ,except as provided in subsection 
7b77#b71 the amendments made by this    
section shall take effect on the date of
 the enactment of this ,act1 and shall  
apply to benefits payable for months    
beginning after such date4  #d4 ,social 
,security benefits  7a7 ,pre-,release   
procedures for disabled prisoners and   
other individuals  7#a7 ,in general     
,section #bjb7x7 of the ,social         
,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #djb7x77  
is amended by adding at the end the     
following3  7#d7 ,the ,commissioner     
shall develop a system under which an   
individual whose disability insurance   
benefits under section #bbc or other    
benefits under this section based on    
disability have been suspended under    
this subsection by reason of confinement
 in an institution comprising a jail1   
prison1 penal institution1 or           
correctional facility1 or comprising any
 other institution a purpose of which is
 to confine individuals as described in 
paragraph 7#a77;,a77ii71 can apply for  

resumption of such benefits prior to    
cessation of such confinement4  4  7#b7 
,effective date ,the ,commissioner of   
,social ,security shall implement the   
system described in section #bjb7x77#d7 
of the ,social ,security ,act 7as added 
by this subsection7 not later than #ahj 
days after the date of the enactment of 
this ,act4  7b7 ,cooperation of penal   
institutions in providing notice of     
pending release of inmate and in        
assisting soon ,to be released inmates  
in having benefits resumed  7#a7 ,in    
general ,section #bjb7x77#c77;,b77i7 of 
such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4                
#djb7x77#c77;,b77i77 is amended-- 7,a7  
in subclause 7,i71 by inserting and     
scheduled release after commencement2   
and  7,b7 in subclause 7,,ii7-- 7i7 by  
inserting 7other than scheduled release 
information7 before to the              
,commissioner2  7ii7 by inserting 7other
 than scheduled release information7    
before after #cj days2 and  7iii7 by    
inserting 1 except that the             

,commissioner shall not make a payment  
under this subclause to an institution  
if the institution does not furnish     
scheduled release information at least  
#cj days before the scheduled release or
 does not have in place personnel and   
procedures to inform and assist inmates 
scheduled to be released in applying to 
have their benefits under this title    
resumed before the period4  7#b7        
,effective date ,the amendments made by 
paragraph 7#a7 shall take effect #a year
 after the date of the enactment of this
 ,act4  7#c7 ,notice of requirement to  
furnish information about scheduled     
release of inmates ,the ,commissioner of
 ,social ,security shall notify each    
institution with which the ,commissioner
 has entered into an agreement under    
section #bjb7x77#c77;,b77i7 of the      
,social ,security ,act of the payment   
restriction added by paragraph 7#a7 of  
this subsection4  7c7 ,notice and       
training related to pre-,release        
agreements ,section #bjb7x77#c77;,b7 of 

such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4                
#djb7x77#c77;,b77 is amended by adding  
at the end the following3  7v7 ,the     
,commissioner shall provide technical   
support and resources to each ,state or 
local institution comprising a jail1    
prison1 penal institution1 or           
correctional facility1 and any other    
,state or local institution a purpose of
 which is to confine individuals as     
described in paragraph 7#a77;,a77ii7    
with respect to1 and notify each such   
institution of the availability of1 the 
pre-release agreements provided for in  
this subparagraph4  7vi7 ,within #f     
months after the end of each fiscal     
year1 the ,commissioner shall submit to 
the ,congress a written report on the   
activities conducted pursuant to this   
subparagraph during the fiscal year4  4 
#e4 ,medicaid benefits  7a7             
,reinstatement of ,medicaid enrollment  
7#a7 ,in general ,section #aijb7;a7 of  
the ,social ,security ,act 7#db         
,u4,s4,c4 l#cif;b7a77 is amended-- 7,a7 

by striking and at the end of paragraph 
7#hj72  7,b7 by striking the period at  
the end of paragraph 7#ha7 and inserting
 2 and2 and  7,c7 by inserting after    
paragraph 7#ha7 the following new       
paragraph3  7#hb7 provide that in the   
case of any individual enrolled for     
medical assistance under the ,state plan
 immediately before becoming an inmate  
of a public institution1 if the period  
of sentence to the institution does not 
exceed #ij days-- 7,a7 the enrollment of
 such individual shall be reinstated    
automatically upon release from the     
institution without the need to reapply 
for such assistance2 and  7,b7 any      
period of continuous eligibility in     
effect on the date the individual became
 such an inmate shall be reinstated as  
of the date of the release and the      
duration of such period shall be        
determined without regard to the period 
in which the individual was such an     
inmate4  4  7#b7 #e percentage point    
increase in ,,fmap during year after    

reinstatement after implementation of   
reinstatement system ,section #aije7;b7 
of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db      
,u4,s4,c4 #acif;d7b77 is amended by     
adding at the end the following3        
,notwithstanding the first sentence1 for
 calendar quarters beginning after the  
date a ,state modifies its computer     
system described in subsection          
7a77#c77;,a77i7 so that it can easily   
provide for the reinstatement of medical
 assistance required under section      
#aijb7;a77#hb71 with respect to items   
and services furnished to an individual 
described in such section who loses     
medical assistance by becoming an inmate
 of a public institution1 the ,federal  
medical assistance percentage otherwise 
applied shall be increased by #e        
percentage points 7but in no case shall 
the ,federal medical assistance         
percentage exceed #ajj percent7 for     
medical assistance for items and        
services furnished during the #a-year   
period beginning on the date the        

individual's eligibility for medical    
assistance under this title is          
reinstated under such section after     
release from the public institution44   
7#c7 ,clarification of treatment of     
certain administrative expenses ,nothing
 in section #aije7;a7 of the ,social    
,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4           
#acif;d7a77 shall be construed as       
prohibiting or preventing the provision 
of ,federal financial participation     
under section #aijc7;a7 of such ,act    
7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acif;b7a77 to ,states   
for reasonable administrative costs of  
determining eligibility status of       
individuals described in section        
#aijb7;a77#hb7 of such ,act1 as inserted
 by paragraph 7#a74  7#d7 ,effective    
date ,the amendments made by paragraph  
7#a7 shall take effect on the date of   
the enactment of this ,act and shall    
apply to individuals who are released   
from being an inmate of a public        
institution on or after the first day of
 the first calendar quarter beginning   

#ahj days after the date of the         
enactment of this ,act1 except that the 
,secretary of ,health and ,human        
,services shall not undertake any       
enforcement against a ,state that fails 
to meet the requirement of section      
#aijb7;a77#hb7 of the ,social ,security 
,act1 as inserted by such amendments1   
until the ,state has had a reasonable   
opportunity 7of not less than #ahj days7
 to modify its computer system described
 in section #aijc7;a77#c77;,a77i7 of    
such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4                
#acif;b7a77#c77;,a77i77 so the system   
can meet the requirement of such section
 #aijb7;a77#hb74  7b7 ,authorization of 
case management services ,the first     
sentence of section #aiae7;g77#a7 of the
 ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4  
#acifn7g77#a77 is amended by inserting  
before the period at the end the        
following3 and for the purpose of       
providing no more than three case       
management services1 without regard to  
the subdivision 7,a7 following section  

#aije7;a77#bi71 in order to engage in   
planning for services following release 
from a public institution4