Recognizing the critical role local and state officials play in supporting systems change, the National Association of Counties (NACo), the American Psychiatric Association Foundation and The Council of State Governments Justice Center launched the Stepping Up initiative in May 2015. Here is an overview of the initiative.
Stepping Up Next Phase Overview (PDF)
Stepping Up is calling on counties to establish processes to systematically identify people who have SMI who enter their jails. The goal is to have every county collecting accurate, accessible data on these individuals.
This document 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.
Stepping Up Six Questions: Project Coordinator’s Handbook (PDF)
This handbook is designed to complement the Stepping Up Six Questions framework as a step-by-step facilitation guide for project coordinators.
Download a Word document of the exercises in the handbook.
In Focus: Implementing Mental Health Screening and Assessment (PDF)
This brief focuses on implementing a mental health screening and assessment process, specifically to identify the number of people booked into jails who have serious mental illnesses (SMI).
Stepping Up Six Questions Case Studies (PDF)
These case studies serve as a quick reference to the counties and strategies highlighted in the Six Questions webinar series.
County Elected Officials’ Guide to the Six Questions County Leaders Need to Ask (PDF)
This guide is designed to complement the Six Questions framework by providing context around the importance of each of the six questions and suggesting questions for county elected officials to ask of key stakeholders in their county.
This guide provides key talking points for county leaders to use when discussing their Stepping Up efforts with the media and the public.
Reducing Mental Illness in Rural Jails
The goal of this publication is to provide rural county leaders with ideas and strategies for addressing these challenges by providing examples of counties that have successfully done so or are making progress.
In Focus: Collecting and Analyzing Baseline Data (PDF)
This brief focuses on how counties can collect and analyze baseline data on the prevalence of people in their jails who have serious mental illnesses.
Stepping Up Stepping Up Four Key Measures Case Studies (PDF)
These case studies serve as a quick reference to the strategies highlighted in the Four Key Measures webinar series.
In Focus: Conducting a Comprehensive Process Analysis (PDF)
This brief focuses on conducting a comprehensive process analysis, or a step-by-step examination of how people who have serious mental illnesses move through a county’s criminal justice and behavioral health systems.
The Stepping Up Special Topics Case Studies series serve as a quick reference to the counties highlighted in Stepping Up webinars. Webinar recordings featuring these counties are available on the Stepping Up Resources Toolkit. This case study describes how officials in Johnson County, Iowa addressed the housing needs of people with mental illness involved in the criminal justice system.
The Stepping Up Special Topics Case Studies series serve as a quick reference to the counties highlighted in Stepping Up webinars. Webinar recordings featuring these counties are available on the Stepping Up Resources Toolkit. This case study describes how officials in Alamance County, North Carolina created a communications plan about their Stepping Up initiative.
Special Topics: Engaging People with Lived Experience in Stepping Up Efforts (PDF)
TheStepping Up Special Topics Case Studies series serve as a quick reference to the counties highlighted in Stepping Up webinars. Webinar recordings featuring these counties are available on the Stepping Up Resources Toolkit. This case study describes how officials in Tulsa County, Oklahoma engaged people with lived experiences in their local Stepping Up efforts.
In Focus: Prioritizing Policy, Practice, and Funding Improvements (PDF)
This latest brief from Stepping Up’s In Focus series provides county officials with guidance on how to identify the most impactful changes needed to reduce the number of people in jails who have serious mental illnesses.
How can local justice systems reduce the prevalence of serious mental illness in their populations? This brief from the Stepping Up partners supports counties in setting targets for reducing the number of people with serious mental illness in their jails, measuring progress toward meeting these targets, and achieving results. With suggested minimum goals, tips, and calculation formulas, this guidance positions counties to realize system improvements from one year to the next.