In 2022, NACo relaunched the Familiar Faces Initiative during Mental Health Awareness Month to support counties and cities in better meeting the needs of their familiar faces—individuals with complex health and behavioral health conditions who frequently cycle through jails, homeless shelters, emergency departments and other crisis services. Four Peer Learning Sites across the country (Bexar County, Texas; Johnson County, Kan.; Minnehaha County, S.D. and Orange County, Calif.) have been instrumental in providing models of cross-sector data-sharing that align service delivery and integrate systems of care to improve outcomes for high-needs residents. In parallel, the CSG Justice Center has supported several counties in New Mexico and Georgia in state-wide familiar faces projects. These projects garner support for familiar faces programs across all three branches of government to elevate, scale and support local best practices at a state level.

Join NACo to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the Familiar Faces Initiative, participate in discussions with each of the Peer Learning Sites and learn about state and county collaboration to better support familiar faces in local communities.