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Motion of the Council of Allegheny County signing on to the Call to Action to reduce the number of people with mental illness in our county jail, through efforts including, but not limited to, sharing lessons learned with other counties in Pennsylvania, and encouraging all county officials, employees, and residents to participate in the Stepping Up initiative.
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WHEREAS, counties routinely provide treatment services to the estimated 2 million people with serious mental illness who are booked into jails each year;
WHEREAS, prevalence rates of serious mental illness in jails are three to six times higher than for the general public; and of those individuals, three-quarters have a co-occurring substance use disorder;
WHEREAS, adults with mental illness tend to stay longer in jail and, upon release, are at a higher risk of recidivism than people without mental or substance use disorders;
WHEREAS, county jails spend two to three times more on adults with mental illness (who require interventions), compared with those people without these treatment needs;
WHEREAS, absent appropriate treatment and services, people with mental illness continue to cycle through the criminal justice system, often resulting in tragic outcomes for these individuals and their families;
WHEREAS, Allegheny County takes pride in its responsibility to protect and enhance the health, welfare, and safety of its residents;
WHEREAS, Allegheny County has developed programs across the criminal justice system with the courts and municipalities, which are helping hundreds of people with mental and substance use disorders stay out of jail, including:
· Crisis Intervention Team training for police and other law enforcement; and a Central Recovery Center where officers can take people with mental illness for medical evaluation and respite, as an alternative to arrest; and
· Evidence-based “specialty courts,” including Drug Court, Mental Health Court, and Veterans Court, which provide...
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