Background/Purpose of Request:
Each year, about 25,000 people with severe mental illness end up in North Carolina’s jails. Almost three-quarters of adults with serious mental illnesses in jails have co-occurring substance use disorders. The Stepping Up Task Force will consist of key community leaders in law enforcement, local government, and private entities with a goal to create conditions that allow for optimal success for those living with mental illness and/or co-occurring substance dependence and who are, or are at risk of being, involved in the criminal justice system. Specifically the task force would develop an action plan that can be used to achieve a measurable impact in our local criminal justice system and reduce the cycling of those with mental health issues through the criminal justice system.
May 15, 2017 the Board of Commissioners approved a resolution to support the Stepping Up Initiative to reduce the number of people with mental illnesses in our county jail, commit to sharing lessons learned with other counties in the state and across the country to support a national initiative and encourage all county officials, employees, and residents to utilize the comprehensive resources available through Stepping Up. |