Op/Ed: Treatment Not Jails

May is Mental Health Awareness Month: Treatment Not Jails

Across the nation, many counties are investing huge sums of money to house people with mental illness in jails, with little return for the community in terms of public safety or treatment for people who need it most. A new national initiative, Stepping Up, provides an opportunity for counties to get support in addressing this problem.

Counties spend two to three times more on jail inmates with mental illness compared to the average inmate. If we use those dollars to provide treatment and supports, many of these individuals can live independently and productively. They are less likely to re-offend when they have safe, affordable housing and effective treatment.

Multiple studies show that adequate community treatment is far less expensive than jail or prison. For example, jail diversion programs in San Antonio have saved taxpayers nearly $10 million dollars a year, while similar programs in Miami-Dade County have saved nearly $12 million dollars. In Texas the average per day jail cost for an inmate with mental illness was $137 compared to $12 per day for community mental health services.

NAMI El Dorado has been active in partnering with the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office in support of their efforts in Crisis Intervention training for their deputies, the Multidisciplinary Team to avert possible situations in the community involving mental illness, and the Community Corrections Partnership in finding solutions to recidivism and incarcerations in our AB 109 population. The efforts by multiple county agencies to address the impact of mental illness on our criminal justice system are commendable but there is more to do.

The Stepping Up initiative has the support of a powerful coalition of national organizations, including the National Association of Counties, the Council of State Governments, and the American Psychiatric Foundation, numerous law enforcement associations, NAMI and other mental health and substance abuse treatment organizations. For counties that get involved, these national organizations will offer access to the most up to date research and experts who can help with the process.

On behalf of NAMI El Dorado, as individuals and families affected by mental illness, we urge our community leaders to embrace and commit to this initiative.

What are the goals of the initiative?
- Help local communities use money wisely by preventing the unnecessary incarceration of as many low-level offenders with mental illness as possible.
- Improve community‐based services and supports for people with mental illness and co‐occurring substance use disorders who are most at risk of unnecessary incarceration.

What is the process?
Pass a county resolution detailing the steps they will take. Then commit to a process that includes convening a county team of local leaders, criminal justice professionals, mental health and substance abuse service providers, individuals living with mental illness and families. They will gather baseline data about how many people with mental illness are in their jails, measure treatment and service capacity, make an improvement plan with measurable outcomes, implement and then track progress.

To Learn More:
- http://csgjusticecenter.org/mental-health/county-improvement-project/stepping-up/
- www.NAMI.org