Vision, mission, and goals statements  

Having agreed-upon vision, mission, and goals statements for a county’s criminal justice, behavioral health, and racial equity initiatives ensures that stakeholders have a shared language to use. Counties are encouraged to adapt the local examples to their jurisdiction’s needs and stakeholder expectations.  

Nevada County, CA

• The mission of Nevada County’s Stepping Up initiative is to reduce the number of people with mental illnesses in jail by providing timely screenings and assessments upon entry to quickly identify people who have serious mental illnesses and then connect them with appropriate services on site or a referral to services in the community upon release. Their vision is that people with serious mental illnesses receive the support and services they need and avoid or reduce their contact with the criminal justice system.
• Their guiding principles include the following:
  1. Recovery is possible for people with mental illnesses or substance use disorders.
  2. People deserve the opportunity to maximize their health and wellness.
  3. Alternatives to incarceration can make the community safer.
  4. In the search for the proper support for individuals to attain health and wellness, there is a need to balance community safety and individual rights.

Union County, OH

• The planning team’s vision is to ensure that people with mental illnesses receive intervention, treatment, and support to enhance their recovery and eliminate their engagement in the criminal justice system.
• Their mission is to intercept people with mental illnesses before initial involvement or further involvement with the criminal justice system. The planning team seeks to accomplish this by reducing the number of individuals with mental illness booked into the jail, reducing their length of stay in the jail, increasing their connection to treatment, and reducing recidivism.