HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2021.05.26 - 34517MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTION #21198 May 26, 2021
BY: Commissioners Charlie Cavell, District #18; Bob Hoffman, District #2; Adam Kochenderfer, District
#15; Thomas Kuhn, District #11; Christine Long, District #7; Gary McGillivray, District #20; Chuck Moss,
District #12; Philip Weipert, District #8; Eileen Kowall, District #6; Yolanda Charles, District #17; Janet
Jackson, District #21; Karen Joliat, District #4; Penny Luebs, District #16; Gwen Markham, District #9,
William Miller, District#14, Kristen Nelson, District#5; Angela Powell, District#10; David Woodward, District
#19; Michael Spisz, District#3; Michael Gingell, District#1; and Marcia Gershenson, District#13
IN RE: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS — 2021 STEPPING UP INITIATIVE TO REDUCE THE
NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESSES IN JAILS
To the Oakland County Board of Commissioners
Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen:
WHEREAS counties routinely provide treatment services to the estimated 2 million people with serious
mental illnesses booked into jail each year; and
WHEREAS prevalence rates of serious mental illnesses in jails are three to six times higher than for the
general population; and
WHEREAS almost three-quarters of adults with serious mental illnesses in jails have co-occurring
substance use disorders; and
WHEREAS adults with mental illnesses tend to stay longer in jail and upon release are at a higher risk of
recidivism than people without these disorders; and
WHEREAS county jails spend two to three times more on adults with mental illnesses that require
interventions compared to those without these treatment needs; and
WHEREAS without the appropriate treatment and services, people with mental illnesses continue to cycle
through the criminal justice system, often resulting in tragic outcomes for these individuals and their families;
and
WHEREAS Oakland County and all counties take pride in their responsibility to protect and enhance the
health, welfare, and safety of its residents in efficient and cost-effective ways; and
WHEREAS recognizing the Stepping Up Initiative and May as Mental Health Month increases awareness
and understanding of mental illness, the need for appropriate and accessible services and the use of
alternative incarceration for all people with mental illness to promote recovery; and
WHEREAS Oakland County has been a pioneer and continues to work toward maximizing and expanding
services and the use of alternatives to incarceration to effectively deal with non-violent offenders and
individuals with mental illness; and
WHEREAS the Oakland County Community Correctional Division provides an array of sentencing
alternatives with programs, services, and resources for individuals with mental illnesses who enter into the
criminal justice system; and
WHEREAS the Oakland Community Health Network (OCHN) strives to inspire hope, empower people, and
strengthen communities for Oakland County residents. The OCHN and its provider network and Substance
Use Treatment & Prevention Service Providers identify, influence, and deliver public mental health services
to more than 27,000 Oakland County citizens with serious mental illness, substance use, developmental
disabilities and childhood emotional disorder to improve their lives and prevent the risk of entering the
criminal justice system; and
WHEREAS the OCHN has established its Resource and Crisis Center which helps people stay out of jail
by offering crisis intervention and access to mental health and substance use disorder treatment; and
WHEREAS the OCHN provides funding for programs and services with the Oakland County jail and has
identified initiatives such as the Pre -Booking Jail Diversion Program and Jail Alliance With Support (JAWS);
and
WHEREAS the OCHN has identified funding for Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training for law enforcement
offices; and
WHEREAS with identified funding the Oakland County Sheriff's Office and Oakland Community Health
Network have collaborated in developing the Jail Diversion Program and the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT)
training for CIT Deputies to be better equipped to deal with subjects with a mental illness and to better
assess if a subject is a qualified candidate for the Pre -Booking Jail Diversion Program; and
WHEREAS the OCHN works in collaboration with its community partners including, the National Alliance
for Mental Illness (NAMI), the Oakland County Health Division, Oakland County Law Enforcement agencies,
and the Oakland County Sheriff's Office (OCSO); and
WHEREAS through the Stepping Up Initiative, the National Association of Counties, the Council of State
Governments Justice Center and the American Psychiatric Foundation are encouraging counties to reduce
the number of people with mental illnesses in county jails.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners hereby signs on
to the Call to Action to reduce the number of people with mental illnesses in our County jail, to commit to
sharing lessons learned with other counties in Michigan and across the country to support a national
initiative and encourage all county officials, employees and residents to participate in Stepping Up. We
resolve to utilize the comprehensive resources available through Stepping Up to:
-Convene or draw on a diverse team of leaders and decision makers from multiple
agencies committed to safely reducing the number of people with mental illnesses in jails.
-Collect and review prevalence numbers and assess individuals' needs to better identify
adults entering jails with mental illnesses and their recidivism risk, and use that baseline
information to guide decision making.
-Examine treatment and service capacity to determine which programs and services are
available in the County for people with mental illnesses and co-occurring substance use
disorders, and identify state and local policy and funding barriers to minimizing contact
with the justice system and providing treatment and supports in the community.
-Develop a plan with measurable outcomes that draws on the needs and prevalence
assessment data and examination of available treatment and service capacity, while
considering identified barriers.
-implement research -based approaches that advance the plan.
Create a process to track progress using data and information systems, and to report
on successes.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners calls upon ourjudicial and
criminal justice systems, law enforcement, government agencies, public and private institutions,
community -based organizations, and citizens to recommit our state to increasing awareness and
understanding of mental illness, and the need for appropriate and accessible services for all people with
mental illness to promote recovery and prevent the entry into the criminal justice system.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Clerk is requested to forward copies of this
resolution to the Oakland County Community Correctional Division, the Oakland Community Health
Network and the Michigan Association of Counties.
Chairperson, we mpve the adoption of the foregoing resolution.
Charlie Cavell
D!m1suer
ict #18
4.4
CPenny Luebs
rilZ��l
6 �Coissi r Philip Weipert
D' trio #8
, as 1
i o6missioner Christine Long (�
District #7
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Yolanda Charles
Distr
Commissioner Bob Hoffman
District #2
Comniissiorter Ga McGillivray r
District
Commissioner Adam KocherAfer
Commissioner David T. Woodward
District #19
Yvt;j A NeU 4
Commissioner Kristen Nelson
District #5
I,- (,r-Vl'y
Commissioner Eileen Kowall
istr
Commissioner ichael J. G' gell
District 1
Commissioner Thomas E. Kuhn
District #11
Commissioner� c� is Gershenson
Dis ict #1 n
Commissioner Artiff (g//ela PPoowel
District #10
Commissioner Michael Spisz
Dis Ict #3
Commissioner Gwen Markham
Dist i 1. #9 (�
//GG�1�l� ,/ �C��2,i
Com issioner Kag en Joliat
District #4 i
Commissioner William Miller
District #14
e/A
Commissioner Chuck Moss
District #12
Commissioner
District #
LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS:
Motion carried on a roll call vote with Kochenderfer and Jackson absent.
Resolution #21198
May 26, 2021
Moved by Moss seconded by Luebs the resolutions on the amended Consent Agenda be adopted (with
accompanying reports being accepted).
AYES: Charles, Gershenson, Hoffman, Jackson, Joliet, Kochenderfer, Kowall, Kuhn, Long, Luebs,
Markham, McGillivray, Miller, Moss, Nelson, Powell, Spisz, Weipert, Woodward, Cavell. (20)
NAYS: None. (0)
A sufficient majority having voted in favor, the resolutions on the amended Consent Agenda were adopted
(with accompanying reports being accepted).
WITHOUT COUNTY EXECUTIVE
SICVMJRE
STATE OF MICHIGAN)
COUNTY OF OAKLAND)
I, Lisa Brown, Clerk of the County of Oakland, do hereby certify that the foregoing resolution is a true and
accurate copy of a resolution adopted by the Oakland County Board of Commissioners on May 26, 2021,
with the original record thereof now remaining in my office.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the Circuit Court at Pontiac,
Michigan this 26th day of May, 2021.
Lisa Brown, Oakland County