NACo President Riki Hokama asks members to support Stepping Up campaign

Dear Fellow County Officials, In May, the National Association of Counties, the Council of State Governments Justice Center and the American Psychiatric Foundation will announce the official launch of Stepping Up: A National Initiative to Reduce the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jails. The Stepping Up Initiative is intended to support counties of all sizes in reducing prevalence rates and promoting recovery. Counties that sign on to the initiative will receive Web-based technical assistance on how to most effectively use limited resources to reduce the impact on their jail system, improve public safety and support recovery for people with mental illnesses. All of us struggle with how to best address the needs of the growing number of people with mental illnesses in our communities and jails, and how to do so effectively with our limited budgets. This initiative will draw on the expertise and experience of state and local policymakers, criminal justice and behavioral health professionals and individuals with mental illnesses and their families. NACo and its partners are developing compre hensive resources to guide counties through their initiatives and providing opportunities for us to learn from each other's successes. I encourage all counties big and small, rural and urban, right and left to sign on to the Call to Action in May to reduce the number of people with mental illnesses in jails and to pass a resolution to participate in this initiative and make a difference in your communities and for this population.

Riki Hokama

NACo president

Council Member, Maui County, Hawai'i