Behavioral Health and Justice Programming

Through technical assistance, national partnerships and member-driven initiatives, NACo’s County Behavioral Health Crisis Response programs equip county leaders with resources, peer learning opportunities and national initiatives that strengthen local behavioral health systems.

Through technical assistance, national partnerships and member-driven initiatives, NACo’s Youth Justice programming equips county leaders with resources and peer learning opportunities to strengthen local youth justice systems.

NACo’s County Juvenile Justice Innovation Network (CJJIN) sought to strengthen counties' practical understanding and capacity to address the needs of youth involved in their local juvenile justice systems. This peer learning network focused on innovative practices and evidence-based resources to inform strategic action planning and investment in the well-being and future of youth within participating communities.

CJJIN concluded in Fall 2024. 

The CORE Justice Network was a group of county officials working to drive change in the criminal legal system. The cohort focused on innovative, county-led approaches to equity, exploring policies, practices and programs with measurable impact on justice-involved populations.

The Familiar Faces Initiative aimed to reduce incarceration and hospitalization rates for individuals frequently cycling through jails, shelters and emergency services. The program encouraged communities to share data and integrate care between health and justice systems for earlier intervention, improving outcomes for these "familiar faces."

Reaching Rural is a 1-year initiative designed for rural justice and public safety practitioners.

The Stepping Up Initiative is a data-driven framework that aims to reduce the overincarceration of people with mental illnesses in jails through training, resources, and support that are tailored to local needs.

County leaders recognize that innovation does not end after the introduction of a promising practice. Sustaining innovation requires ongoing commitment, strategic planning and collaboration. The guide is designed to empower county elected officials and local justice system leaders with tools and strategies to ensure lasting, positive change in local criminal legal systems.

Recent cultural and economic changes such as competitive markets, declining applicant pools, misaligned workplace expectations, high turnover and population shifts have led to public safety workforce challenges in counties nationwide. This brief highlights innovative ways that counties are addressing recruitment and retention challenges.

Counties advancing criminal justice often rely on a formalized body, like a Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC), to guide decision-making. NACo's CJCC Resource Hub offers valuable information for counties looking to establish or strengthen their CJCCs.

Counties play a critical role in supporting community members living with a behavioral health condition or experiencing a behavioral health crisis.

By forming strategic partnerships throughout health and justice systems, county leaders are better serving residents with behavioral health conditions such as mental illness and/or substance use disorders.

County governments play a central role in public safety and the administration of justice. Cumulatively, counties invest $107 billion in justice and public safety efforts each year. One component of the criminal legal system is community supervision.