[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1907 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1907

 To amend title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 
 1968 to understand and comprehensively address the inmate oral health 
 problems associated with methamphetamine use, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 31, 2007

Mr. Baucus (for himself and Mr. Coleman) introduced the following bill; 
  which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 
 1968 to understand and comprehensively address the inmate oral health 
 problems associated with methamphetamine use, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Meth Mouth Correctional Costs and 
Reentry Support Act''.

SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Table of contents.
Sec. 3. Findings; purpose; definitions.
Sec. 4. Inclusion of oral health and dental care inmate and probationer 
                            statistics.
Sec. 5. Study of methamphetamine-related oral health costs in jails and 
                            prisons.
Sec. 6. Interim assistance for correctional dental programs.
Sec. 7. Grants for dental care offender reentry projects.

SEC. 3. FINDINGS; PURPOSE; DEFINITIONS.

    (a) Findings.--The Congress finds as follows:
            (1) One of the unexpected results of the methamphetamine 
        epidemic has been prisoners' need for costly dental care. By 
        some accounts, more than 30 percent of prison inmates suffer 
        from meth mouth and about 40 percent of correctional dental 
        spending goes toward repairing or removing teeth ravaged by 
        methamphetamine use.
            (2) Every year some 600,000 inmates are released from 
        Federal and State prisons and return to their communities and 
        families.
            (3) Released prisoners suffer disproportionately from oral 
        diseases and other health-related problems, which can hinder 
        their ability to secure housing, employment, and otherwise 
        successfully integrate into the community.
            (4) Ex-offenders who are healthy have greater success in 
        reintegrating into the community and avoiding incarceration.
            (5) There have been few published studies (and virtually no 
        routine data collections) that adequately characterize the oral 
        health of inmates and the provision of dental care in 
        correctional facilities. In fact, the absence of peer-reviewed 
        literature has resulted in the perpetual underfunding and 
        understaffing of correctional dental care programs.
    (b) Purpose.--The purposes of this Act are to--
            (1) investigate and report on the oral health of inmates of 
        correctional facilities and on the provision of dental care in 
        such facilities;
            (2) temporarily sustain dental programs in correctional 
        facilities that have been suddenly and disproportionately taxed 
        by the prevalence and severity of inmate meth mouth;
            (3) ensure that oral health and dental care are accounted 
        for in the Department of Justice's prisoner reentry 
        initiatives; and
            (4) underscore the many ways that oral health and dental 
        care contribute to the general health of individuals, their 
        communities, and to the country as a whole.
    (c) Definitions.--For purposes of this Act:
            (1) Correctional facility; detention facility.--The terms 
        ``correctional facility'' and ``detention facility'' mean any 
        place for the confinement or rehabilitation of offenders or 
        individuals charged with or convicted of criminal offenses.
            (2) Inmate.--The term ``inmate'' means any person who is 
        incarcerated or detained in any correctional facility and who 
        is accused of, convicted of, sentenced for, or adjudicated 
        delinquent for, violations of criminal law or the terms and 
        conditions of parole, probation, pretrial release, or a 
        diversionary program.
            (3) Meth mouth.--The term ``meth mouth'' means a distinct 
        and often severe pattern of oral decay that is commonly 
        associated with methamphetamine use.
            (4) Offender reentry.--The term ``offender reentry'' means 
        the process of returning individuals to society after a period 
        of incarceration in a prison, jail, or other detention 
        facility.

SEC. 4. INCLUSION OF ORAL HEALTH AND DENTAL CARE INMATE AND PROBATIONER 
              STATISTICS.

    Part C of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act 
of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3711 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
following new section:

``SEC. 305. JUSTICE STATISTICS TO INCLUDE DATA ON PROVISION OF DENTAL 
              CARE.

    ``(a) In General.--In collecting, compiling, analyzing, publishing, 
and disseminating justice statistics relating to the operation of the 
criminal justice system under this part, the Director of the Bureau of 
Justice Statistics shall include and take into account data 
characterizing the oral health of inmates of correctional facilities 
and the provision of dental care in correctional facilities. Such data 
shall address at least the following information:
            ``(1) The prevalence in such facilities of inmate dental 
        caries (tooth decay), periodontal diseases, and other 
        conditions affecting the teeth, gums, and mouth or affecting 
        the proper function thereof.
            ``(2) The types of therapies used in such facilities to 
        diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent the onset of the 
        conditions described in paragraph (1).
            ``(3) The presentable oral condition of inmates at the time 
        of release of the inmates from such facilities (as would likely 
        be observed by an individual who is not an oral health 
        professional).
            ``(4) The size and disposition of inmate dental programs 
        and program budgets, including the number of dentists and 
        allied oral health professionals on staff, under contract, or 
        otherwise used to furnish inmate dental care.
    ``(b) Use of Data.--The Director may request and use such 
information, data, and reports from any Federal, State, local, or 
private entity, as may be required to carry out subsection (a). Such 
information, data, and reports may be used only with prior written 
consent from the Federal, State, local, or private entity involved.''.

SEC. 5. STUDY OF METHAMPHETAMINE-RELATED ORAL HEALTH COSTS IN JAILS AND 
              PRISONS.

    (a) Study.--In carrying out section 305 of the Omnibus Crime 
Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3737 et seq.), as added 
by section 4, the Attorney General, acting through the Director of the 
Bureau of Justice Statistics, shall conduct a study to determine the 
extent to which methamphetamine use affects the demand for (and 
provision of) oral health care in correctional facilities.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics shall 
publish a report detailing the results of the study under subsection 
(a). Such report shall include the following information:
            (1) The prevalence and severity of inmate oral health 
        problems believed to be associated with methamphetamine use.
            (2) The criteria most commonly used to determine whether an 
        inmate's oral health problems are associated with 
        methamphetamine use.
            (3) The therapies most commonly used to treat inmate meth 
        mouth.
            (4) The clinical prognosis for inmates who received care 
        for meth mouth.
            (5) The financial impact of meth mouth on Federal, State, 
        and local corrections budgets.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated $100,000 to carry out this section for each of the fiscal 
years 2009 through 2011. Amounts authorized for appropriation under 
this subsection are in addition to any other amounts authorized for 
appropriation for such purpose.

SEC. 6. INTERIM ASSISTANCE FOR CORRECTIONAL DENTAL PROGRAMS.

    Part A of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act 
of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3711 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
following new section:

``SEC. 110. INTERIM ASSISTANCE GRANTS FOR CORRECTIONAL DENTAL PROGRAMS.

    ``(a) In General.--The Assistant Attorney General shall make grants 
to States and local, territorial, and tribal units of government, for 
the purpose of developing, enhancing, or otherwise sustaining dental 
programs that provide for the oral health of jail and prison inmates.
    ``(b) Eligibility.--
            ``(1) Application.--To be eligible for grants under this 
        section, an entity shall prepare and submit an application at 
        such time, in such manner, and containing such information as 
        the Assistant Attorney General may require.
            ``(2) Preference.--In awarding grants under this section, 
        the Assistant Attorney General shall give preference to 
        applicants that demonstrate a compelling need for financial 
        assistance due to the prevalence and severity of inmate meth 
        mouth.
    ``(c) Use of Funds.--Amounts awarded under this section may be 
used--
            ``(1) to recruit, hire, or otherwise secure the services of 
        dentists, allied dental personnel, and other oral health 
        professionals;
            ``(2) to rent, purchase, or otherwise secure dental 
        instruments, equipment, and supplies;
            ``(3) to survey, document, and report on--
                    ``(A) the prevalence and severity of inmate oral 
                health problems believed to be associated with 
                methamphetamine use;
                    ``(B) the criteria most commonly used to determine 
                whether an inmate's oral health problems are associated 
                with methamphetamine use;
                    ``(C) the therapies most commonly used to treat 
                inmates with meth mouth;
                    ``(D) the prognosis for inmates who received care 
                for meth mouth; and
                    ``(E) the financial impact of meth mouth on State 
                and local corrections budgets; and
            ``(4) to support other activities deemed appropriate by the 
        Assistant Attorney General.
    ``(d) Matching Requirement.--The Federal share of a grant received 
under this section may not exceed 50 percent of the total costs of the 
activity funded by such grant.
    ``(e) Coordination of Activities.--The Assistant Attorney General 
may enter into contracts or agreements with other Federal agencies, 
including interagency agreements to delegate authority for the 
execution of grants and for such other activities as may be necessary 
to carry out this section.
    ``(f) Meth Mouth Defined.--For purposes of this section, the term 
`meth mouth' means a distinct and often severe pattern of oral decay 
that is commonly associated with methamphetamine use.
    ``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated $1,000,000 to carry out this section for each of the 
fiscal years 2009 through 2011. Amounts authorized for appropriation 
under this subsection are in addition to any other amounts authorized 
for appropriation for such purpose.''.

SEC. 7. GRANTS FOR DENTAL CARE OFFENDER REENTRY PROJECTS.

    Part FF of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets 
Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3797w et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
the following new section:

``SEC. 2978. GRANTS FOR DENTAL CARE OFFENDER REENTRY PROJECTS.

    ``(a) Grant Authorization.--The Attorney General shall make grants 
to State, local, territorial, and tribal units of government to 
identify, eliminate, and report on the degree to which poor oral health 
undermines or otherwise impedes an inmate's successful transition to a 
stable, productive, and law-abiding life following his or her release 
from jail or prison.
    ``(b) Reentry Demonstration Projects Permitted.--In carrying out 
subsection (a), the Attorney General is authorized to make grants to 
entities described in such subsection to establish adult and juvenile 
offender reentry demonstration projects for the purpose of--
            ``(1) developing and implementing dental treatment programs 
        at correctional and detention facilities in which inmates are 
        incarcerated for a period of time to permit or require 
        emergency dental care;
            ``(2) developing, implementing, and evaluating guidelines 
        to ascertain the degree to which an inmate's presentable oral 
        condition at the time of his or her release facilitates the 
        transition of such inmate to a stable, productive, and law-
        abiding life;
            ``(3) promoting good oral hygiene among inmates and 
        encouraging inmates to obtain regular dental check-ups after 
        their release;
            ``(4) assessing the presentable oral condition of inmates 
        at the time of their release (as would likely be noticed by an 
        individual who is not an oral health professional);
            ``(5) monitoring an inmate's compliance with post-release 
        treatment instructions and oral hygiene protocols; and
            ``(6) supporting other activities deemed appropriate by the 
        Attorney General.
    ``(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated $100,000 to carry out this section for each of the fiscal 
years 2009 through 2011.''.
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