On April 18–19, the National Stepping Up Summit brought together teams of criminal justice and behavioral health professionals from U.S. communities of all sizes as part of an initiative to address the mental health crisis in our nation’s jails. Among the federal and elected officials in attendance were Valerie Jarrett, senior advisor to President Barack Obama; Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates; U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX); and U.S. Representative Bobby Scott (D-VA).
The first-of-its kind summit, which convened jail administrators, law enforcement officials, county elected officials, psychiatrists, and other stakeholders from 50 jurisdictions across the country, was designed to give attendees a clear understanding of what constitutes a comprehensive, system-level plan to reduce the number of people with mental illnesses in jail.
The 50 jurisdictions selected to attend consisted of a cross-section of urban, suburban, and rural counties representing 37 states.
At the summit, county teams took stock of work already underway in their counties and charted a path forward. To that end, they considered six questions to guide working sessions over course of the two-day event.
Stepping Up, an initiative designed to rally national, state and local leaders around the goal of reducing the number of people with mental illnesses in jail, launched in May 2015 as a partnership between The Council of State Governments Justice Center, The National Association of Counties, and The American Psychiatric Association Foundation.
View Livestream Videos
As the Stepping Up initiative marks its 10th year, America’s justice and behavioral health systems are facing a…
Read More
19 states were recently granted permission by CMS to reimburse critical reentry services with Medicaid funding for up…
Read More
"It is the humane, person-centered approach that supports and stabilizes individuals, their families, and their communities."
Read More
The 10-Year Impact—and Future—of Stepping Up: Facing the Behavioral Health Crisis in Jails and Communities with Real Solutions
As the Stepping Up initiative marks its 10th year, America’s justice and behavioral health systems are facing a shared crisis: how to meet the behavioral health needs of people cycling through jails.
Read More
A “Once in a Generation Opportunity” to Improve Reentry for Nearly 2 Million People
19 states were recently granted permission by CMS to reimburse critical reentry services with Medicaid funding for up to 5 years.
Read More
Local Criminal Justice System Innovations in Mental Health Services: Q&A with CSG Justice Center Advisory Board Member Dr. Doreen Williams
"It is the humane, person-centered approach that supports and stabilizes individuals, their families, and their communities."
Read More
Bipartisan House Coalition Backs Continued Funding for Key Public Safety and Mental Health Programs
Congressional leaders are urging appropriations for the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (JMHCP) and the Justice Reinvestment Initiative (JRI).
Read More
Kansas Counties Pilot New “Stepping Up for Youth” Framework to Reduce Detention, Improve Behavioral Health Care
They adapted our adult-focused framework that has been implemented in over 500 counties across the country.
Read More