Senate Enrolled Act No. 235 Summary

• Establishes a mental health and addiction forensic treatment services account administered by the division of mental health and addiction to provide grants and vouchers for evidence-based treatment to individuals who have entered the criminal justice system as felons or with prior felony convictions.

• Creates a three-year pilot project in Marion County superior court to provide mental health and addiction forensic treatment services as an alternative to incarceration, with eligibility restrictions excluding sex offenders and violent offenders.

• Requires the Marion County pilot project to provide annual reports to the legislative council beginning October 1, 2015, including recidivism rates, program costs, cost savings, and replication opportunities; pilot project expires June 30, 2017.

• Allows individuals participating in reentry court programs or evidence-based mental health and addiction treatment services to qualify for federal food stamp and TANF benefits despite prior drug offense convictions, with exceptions carved out from federal law.

• Requires community corrections programs and probation services to use evidence-based practices and coordinate services with other agencies to reduce recidivism, effective July 1, 2014.