Williams County commissioners voted to adopt a Stepping Up resolution and to begin county participation in the statewide Stepping Up initiative, a multiagency effort to reduce unnecessary jail use by people with mental illness and to improve local community resources.

Visiting presenter Ian (Stepping Up project representative) explained the program’s origins (Council of State Governments justice-center work, Department of Justice funding for initial pilots) and described a two-part county engagement: (1) a signed local resolution to join Stepping Up and (2) designation of a county coordinator to work with the statewide team to schedule a county visit and a cross-sector meeting (judges, sheriff, mental-health board, hospitals, housing and other partners). The presenter said the program brings state and national partners, sample agendas, and a team of subject-matter experts to help counties develop local solutions for crisis response, housing and competency resources, crisis intervention teams, and other measures.

Commissioner Bart Westlaw volunteered to serve as the county coordinator and moved for adoption of the resolution; a second was given and the board approved the resolution by roll call with Commissioners Westfall, Lareau and Rommel voting yes. "I'll make that motion to, do a resolution... Stepping Up program," Westlaw said before the vote.

The presenter said the Stepping Up team will help set an agenda, identify local and state resources, and schedule a virtual county session (typically recorded) during which local agencies present and discuss gaps and solutions. The county’s first visit will likely be scheduled for October; the presenter asked the board to provide the coordinator’s contact and to help identify local invitees including judges, sheriff, hospitals and housing partners.

Commissioners expressed support for a county-specific meeting despite regional jail-sharing arrangements, noting local differences make single-county meetings more productive. The board approved the resolution on the record and directed staff to forward the signed resolution to the Ohio Department of Mental Health contact and to provide the project team with the county coordinator name to schedule the visit.

No additional county funding was committed at the meeting; the Stepping Up program team emphasized the initiative is partnership-driven and that program resources include connections to state funding streams, housing mitigation funds, CIT training resources and other technical assistance — the program itself does not automatically provide county grants but links counties to potential funding and partners.