Reducing the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jail: Six Questions County Leaders Need to Ask
Released by Stepping Up: A National Initiative to Reduce the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jail, this report is intended to assist counties with developing and implementing a systems-level, data-driven plan that can lead to measurable reductions in the number of people with mental illnesses in local jails. The report serves as a blueprint for counties to assess their existing efforts to reduce the number of people with mental illnesses in jail by considering specific questions and progress-tracking measures.
The Project Coordinator’s Handbook is designed to assist counties in applying the Six Questions framework. This step-by-step facilitation guide will help project coordinators develop systems-level plans to achieve their Stepping Up goals. For each of the framework’s six questions, the handbook provides:
- A summary of the question and its related objectives for the planning team;
- Facilitation tips to assist the project coordinator in managing the planning process; and
- Facilitation exercises designed to achieve objectives and establish an efficient process for capturing the work of the planning team.
Download a Word document of the exercises in the handbook.
The affordable housing crisis has increased the need for new housing developments in communities across the U.S., particularly…
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In partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), The…
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With unanimous consent, the U.S. Senate passed the bipartisan Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Reauthorization Act of 2022…
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How Three Communities are Developing Supportive Housing to Improve Access for People with Behavioral Health Needs Leaving Incarceration
The affordable housing crisis has increased the need for new housing developments in communities across the U.S., particularly for people leaving prison and jail who have behavioral health needs. To support these efforts, some local leaders have started developing supportive housing, which is an evidence-based intervention that combines affordable housing with wraparound services and has no residency time limit.
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Apply Now to Join a National Program for Criminal Justice and Mental Health Learning Sites
In partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center is seeking applicants to join the nationwide Criminal Justice-Mental Health Learning Sites Program, which will highlight effective approaches from crisis response through courts, jails, probation, and community-based programs.
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Congress Approves the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Reauthorization Act
With unanimous consent, the U.S. Senate passed the bipartisan Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Reauthorization Act of 2022 yesterday, officially approving the legislation sponsored by Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Representatives Bobby Scott (D-VA), Steve Chabot (R-OH), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), and Tom Emmer (R-MN). The bill will expand and improve upon the success of the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act (MIOTCRA) to give the country’s criminal justice and mental health systems the tools they need to serve some of their most vulnerable individuals. It will also provide the resources to help communities divert people from the criminal justice system when appropriate.
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President Biden Signs Spending Bill Funding Key Criminal Justice Programs
On December 29, 2022, President Joe Biden signed a $1.7 trillion omnibus spending package for Fiscal Year 2023. Among other administration priorities, the omnibus spending bill funds various state and local justice system grant programs within the U.S. Department of Justice.
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Site Snapshot: How Five Jurisdictions Are Rethinking Crisis Response with the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
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Federal Agencies Convene Law Enforcement and Behavioral Health Leaders to Discuss Shared Opportunity of 988
Community leaders around the country have heralded the arrival of 988—the 3-digit code for people to reach the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline—as an essential new resource to shift people in crisis toward appropriate care.
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