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1 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: September 1, 2015 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 4-c <br /> SUBJECT: Resolution Supporting Stepping Up Initiative to Reduce the Number of People <br /> with Mental Illnesses in Jails <br /> DEPARTMENT: County Manager PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) No <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> 1) Stepping Up Initiative Summary Bonnie Hammersley, 245-2300 <br /> 2) Draft Resolution <br /> PURPOSE: To approve a resolution expressing support for the Stepping Up Initiative <br /> sponsored by the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC), the National <br /> Association of Counties (NACo) and other organizations to help advance counties' efforts to <br /> reduce the number of adults with mental and co-occurring substance use disorders in jails. <br /> BACKGROUND: In May 2015, NACo and partners at the Council of State Governments <br /> Justice Center and American Psychiatric Foundation launched Stepping Up:A National Initiative <br /> to Reduce the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jails and announced a Call to Action <br /> demonstrating strong county and state leadership and a shared commitment to a multi-step <br /> planning process that can achieve concrete results for jails in counties of all sizes. As part of <br /> this Call to Action, county elected officials are being asked to adopt resolutions and work with <br /> other leaders (e.g., the sheriff, judges, district attorney, treatment providers, and state and local <br /> policymakers), people with mental illnesses and their advocates, and other stakeholders to <br /> reduce the number of people with mental illnesses in jails. <br /> Additional information on this initiative is provided at Attachment 1 and is also available <br /> at www.StepUpTogether.org. <br /> Commissioners Renee Price and Bernadette Pelissier proposed that the Board consider <br /> adopting a resolution in support of this initiative. A draft resolution, based on a template <br /> provided by NCACC, is provided at Attachment 2 for Board consideration. <br /> FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with approval of the resolution. <br /> The Board is asked to express support for the Stepping Up Initiative sponsored by the National <br /> Association of Counties (NACo) and other organizations. <br />