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Fulton County commissioners say new mental-health court partnerships reduced jailings, prompt next steps
Summary
Representatives told the Fulton County Board of Commissioners that a mental-health court co-responder and a recovery supports navigator, funded by county resources and a Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency grant, have increased treatment referrals and corresponded with fewer incarcerated people at the Bedford County Correctional Facility; commissioners asked staff to map resources and explore supported housing.
FULTON COUNTY — On Jan. 20, 2026, representatives from the county justice system and behavioral-health services told the Fulton County Board of Commissioners that new programs are increasing diversion to community-based treatment and have coincided with a drop in jailings.
The presenters described two initiatives: a mental health court co-responder and a recovery supports navigator. According to the presenters, those programs, supported through a mix of county mental-health funding and grants from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, have increased deferrals to treatment and reduced the number of people held at the Bedford County Correctional Facility, producing measurable cost savings for the county.
Commissioners recorded the update and discussed next steps. The board directed staff and partners to map available resources to support training for co-responders and navigators and to explore options for supported housing to stabilize treatment outcomes and reduce returns to custody. The county did not adopt new policy or allocate additional funding at the meeting.
The presenters did not provide a detailed head count or a dollar figure for the stated cost savings during the public update; commissioners noted that the work is funded through blended county resources and state grant support. The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency was cited in the discussion as a grant source. Commissioners said they will continue to track outcomes and report back as plans for training and housing options develop.
