MO HB302

Director of the Department of Corrections authorized to establish a three-year pilot program for mental health assessments of offenders in participating counties.

Prosecutor may file a motion requesting a judge place an offender in the Department of Corrections for 120 days for mental health assessment and treatment if the offender may qualify for probation with Community Psychiatric Rehabilitation (CPR) programs.

Victims must receive notice of and opportunity to be heard on prosecutor motions before judges rule; Department of Corrections determines offender eligibility following court recommendation.

Following assessment, sentencing court may release eligible offenders on probation supervised by state probation and parole officers working with the Department of Mental Health for CPR program enrollment.

Probation is prohibited for offenders convicted of second-degree murder, forcible rape, statutory rape, forcible sodomy, statutory sodomy, first-degree child molestation (Class A felony), predatory sexual offenses, or crimes with statutory probation/parole prohibitions.

Directors of Corrections and Mental Health must jointly submit recommendations to the governor and general assembly by December 31, 2014, on statewide expansion.