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Stepping Up Pennsylvania: Findings and Recommendations from the Behavioral Health-Criminal Justice State Policy Scan Project
Across the country, communities struggle to address the high number of people with serious mental illnesses (SMI) cycling through their local criminal justice systems. The CSG Justice Center partnered with the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency’s (PCCD) Mental Health and Justice Advisory Committee to conduct a statewide policy scan. The purpose of the scan was to identify opportunities for the state to help counties continue to reduce the number of people with SMI in local criminal justice systems—especially county jails. CSG Justice Center staff made recommendations rooted in research and best practices with proposed action items. These recommendations focus on three priority areas: (1) improving local capacity to collect data and share information, (2) increasing local diversion as early as possible, and (3) increasing local availability of and connections to housing. (Photo credit: Schindlerdigital, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons) Read More
In Focus: Prioritizing Policy, Practice, and Funding Improvements
This new brief from the Stepping Up partners guides counties through the process of defining the most important cross-system changes to help reduce the number of people in jails who have serious mental illnesses. To have the greatest possible impact on the prevalence of serious mental illness in jails, these changes should address one or more of Stepping Up’s four key measures: (1) the number of people booked into jail who have serious mental illnesses; (2) their average length of stay in jail; (3) how many people are connected to treatment and services; and (4) their recidivism rates. Read More
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. Read More
Reducing the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jail: Six Questions County Leaders Need to Ask: The Project Coordinator’s Handbook
This handbook is designed to complement the Reducing the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jail: Six Questions County Leaders Need to Ask (Six Questions) framework as a step-by-step facilitation guide for project coordinators. Read More
Six Questions Case Studies: Question 5: Have We Prioritized Policy, Practice and Funding Improvements?
Counties should prioritize policies and processes that will impact one or more of the four key measures: reducing jail bookings, shortening length of stay, increasing connections to treatment and reducing recidivism. County leaders should provide guidance to the planning team on how to make policy recommendations and budget requests that are practical, concrete and aligned with the fiscal realities and budget process of the county. Any budget proposal should identify external funding streams including federal programs such as Medicaid, federal grant opportunities and state block grant dollars as the first source for funding, with any potential county dollars filling final gaps in needed funding. Routine communication with the planning team on its ongoing efforts will help county leaders stay up to speed on the latest developments. Read More
Stepping Up Network Call: Prioritizing Policy, Practice and Funding Improvements for People with Mental Illnesses in Jails
Join the Stepping Up partners for the fifth Stepping Up Network Technical Assistance Call. On this call, counties will engage in a facilitated discussion on the fifth question of the “Six Questions” document: Have we Prioritized Policy, Practice and Funding Improvements? Counties are encouraged to sign on and join the conversation with national experts and county practitioners to learn about key prioritization strategies and processes! Please be sure to review the “Prioritizing Policy, Practice and Funding Improvements” webinar prior to listening to the call. Read More
Prioritizing Policy Practice and Funding Improvements for People with Mental Illnesses in Jails
This webinar provided counties with strategies for how they can prioritize policy, practice, and funding improvements to address the needs of people with mental illness in the justice system Read More
Keynote: Leveraging State and Federal Financing
The California Summit -- Jan. 19, 2017 -- Speakers discuss state and federal funding opportunities and resources for reducing the prevalence of people with mental illnesses in jails and providing needed mental health services in the community. Read More