Greene County commissioners adopt Stepping Up initiative to expand jail triage, community supports

The Greene County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 30 adopted a resolution to use the national Stepping Up initiative to coordinate screening, triage and community supports for people who enter the county jail.

Sheriff Scott Anger, who led the presentation, said the resolution is intended to bring “much more force” to the county’s existing partnerships and to use the new jail facility to expand programs that identify needs at intake and connect people with services on release. “Our goal, number one…is to assemble a diverse group of people that are like‑minded with these goals,” Anger said.

Why it matters: Commissioners and provider partners said the measure aims to reduce in‑custody risks and to lower recidivism by creating a reliable pathway from arrest to treatment or supports. Adam Kemp of the Mental Health and Recovery Board for Clark, Greene and Madison counties said the jail’s short average stays—“anywhere from five to 25 days” when long sentences are excluded—mean the county has a brief window to identify needs and arrange follow‑up.

Partners described how the program would work in practice. Chris Pinkleman, chief development officer for TCN Behavioral Health Services, said Stepping Up will provide structure to “identify these people from the minute they walk in” and help place crisis‑trained staff inside the jail. Amy Pulver, executive director and co‑founder of Hope Spot, described the nonprofit’s role supplying supportive services such as transportation, paperwork assistance and peer recovery connections after release. Major Dave Jones, Greene County corrections major, said the effort focuses on triage at intake so staff can quickly identify what an individual needs—“it could be something as simple as a Social Security card to get a job.”

Officials said the initiative will combine existing programs—embedded TCN staff, Hope Spot and other community providers—with new processes to track outcomes and seek grant funding for staff and data systems. Kemp said Stepping Up also emphasizes surveying policies and tracking progress so the county can report measurable outcomes to funders and partners.

The board moved and seconded the resolution and recorded unanimous approval. The motion passed; the record shows the three commissioners voting aye.

The next steps described by partners include forming a core working group from the larger coalition, developing intake checklists and data collection measures, and scheduling a public kickoff event within a few months. Officials said benchmarks and reporting will be developed as the group formalizes staff roles and funding sources.