Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Mental Health Court topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Justice and behavioral-health representatives say co-responder, recovery navigator increased treatment diversions and coincided with fewer jailings
Summary
Justice-system and behavioral-health representatives told Fulton County commissioners that a mental health court co-responder program and a recovery supports navigator have increased deferrals to community-based treatment and coincided with a reduction in individuals jailed at the Bedford County Correctional Facility, producing cost savings.
Representatives from the justice system and behavioral-health providers told the Fulton County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 20 that recent initiatives — including a mental health court co-responder program and a recovery supports navigator — have increased deferrals to community-based treatment and coincided with a measurable reduction in the number of people incarcerated at the Bedford County Correctional Facility, the group said.
The representatives said the programs are supported by a mix of County Mental Health resources and grants from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. They reported that the reduced jail population has yielded cost savings for the county but did not provide an exact dollar figure at the meeting. Commissioners in attendance included Commissioner Randy H. Bunch, Commissioner Hervey P. Hann and Commissioner Steven L. Wible (participating by telephone).
The group said next steps include mapping available community and agency resources to support expanded training and exploring supported housing options for people diverted from incarceration to community-based care. No formal vote or ordinance was recorded on those next steps during the open meeting; the action items were presented as follow-up planning.
Services for Children Director Christine McQuade and other county staff also attended portions of the meeting to discuss departmental needs. Chief Clerk Stacey M. Shives recorded that separate committee and department-head meetings (Safety Committee at 10:00 a.m. and Department Head meeting at 10:30 a.m.) were held and have their own minutes on file.
The commissioners did not take immediate formal action on the justice or behavioral-health recommendations during the Jan. 20 meeting. According to the minutes, staff and the representatives will proceed with resource mapping and further planning, and the commissioners will be updated in subsequent meetings.
