Conaway, Luttrell Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Bill to Provide Mental Health Services to Incarcerated Veterans

Washington D.C. - U.S. Representatives Herb Conaway, MD (D-NJ) and Morgan Luttrell (R-TX), and U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Pete Ricketts (R-NE) introduced bicameral, bipartisan legislation to support mental health services for incarcerated veterans. The Get Justice-Involved Veterans Behavioral Assistance and Care for Key Health Outcomes to Maintain Empowerment (BACK HOME) Act would create a pilot program to allow the Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA) to provide mental health services to incarcerated veterans, with a priority given to providing services to veterans with a service-connected disability for post-traumatic stress injuries (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), or military sexual trauma (MST).

Currently, the VA is prohibited from providing hospital or inpatient to veterans who are patients or inmates in an institution of another government agency with a duty to provide care or services, such as prisons. Additionally, veterans who are convicted of a felony and sentenced to more than 60 days have their disability compensation payments reduced during their imprisonment. The Get Justice-Involved Veterans BACK HOME Act would create a pilot program that allows the VA to provide mental health services to incarcerated veterans, with a priority to those with a service-connected disability for PTSD, TBI, or MST. The bill also encourages prison facilities to establish dedicated veteran housing units, where possible, to provide an environment more conducive to the discipline, structure, and order familiar to veterans and facilitate more effective treatment, peer support, and rehabilitative efforts.

"Service to our country does not end at incarceration, and neither should our commitment to care," said Congressman Conaway. "As a physician, I've seen how untreated conditions like PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and military sexual trauma can shape the course of a veteran's life. The Get Justice Involved Vets BACK HOME Act is about closing a dangerous gap in care by ensuring that justice-involved veterans can still access the mental health services they need to heal, rebuild, and successfully reenter their communities. If we are serious about honoring their service, we must also be serious about meeting them with dignity, treatment, and a real pathway forward."

"Every veteran makes a sacred commitment to this nation, and we have a duty to stand by them, no matter where life takes them after their service," said Congressman Luttrell. "PTSD, TBI, and the invisible wounds of war don't disappear in difficult circumstances, and neither should our commitment to those who've worn the uniform. That means confronting these challenges head-on and making sure these men and women have a real shot to rebuild their lives and successfully reintegrate into the communities they once swore to defend."

"Too many of our veterans carry invisible wounds from their service, and far too often those wounds go untreated-especially for those who become incarcerated," said Senator King. "The Get Justice-Involved Veterans BACK HOME Act meets veterans where they are and ensures they receive the care they've earned. Expanding mental health services to incarcerated veterans helps give individuals a better path toward stability and rehabilitation."

"Our veterans deserve our utmost respect and gratitude," said Senator Ricketts. "We owe them real support. That means confronting PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and substance abuse head-on before those invisible wounds lead to bigger challenges. The Get Justice-Involved Veterans BACK HOME Act supports incarcerated veterans by providing sustainable access to mental health services and a guarantee of resumption of benefits upon their release. Our veterans fought for us. I will keep fighting for them."

As of 2023, there were an estimated 15.8 million veterans in the United States, with about 200,000 additional servicemembers transitioning to civilian life each year. In 2016, it was estimated that 107,400 veterans were serving time in state or federal prison. Combat exposure and associated mental and physical health problems, including PTSD, traumatic brain injuries (TBI), mood disorders, and substances use disorders, are associated with a greater likelihood of involvement with the criminal justice system amongst veterans. Some studies have suggested that veterans with PTSD are 61% more likely to be involved with the criminal justice system than those without PTSD, and 59% more likely to be arrested for violent offenses.