County commits to reducing people with mental illnesses in jail

NORWALK — The Huron County commissioners have committed to reducing the number of people with mental illnesses in jails. The commissioners passed a resolution during Thursday's meeting in partnership with the Huron County Mental Health and Addiction Services and sheriff's office to participate in Stepping Up. Stepping Up aims to reduce the number of people with illnesses in jail and to provide treatment and support in the community. Counties routinely provide services to an estimated 2 million people with mental illnesses booked into jail each year, according to studies. Jails are three to six times more likely to have rates of serious mental illnesses than the general public. It's estimated three-quarters of the adults in jails with mental illnesses also have substance abuse disorders. Typically, a county jail spends two to three times more on adults with mental illnesses requiring interventions compared to those without treatment needs. Huron County Jail has implemented behavioral health treatment services, helping those suffering to stay out of jail, reducing recidivism and links people to outpatient treatment options and recovery support upon release. By participating in Stepping Up, the county has committed to collect and review individuals' needs to guide decision making, examine treatments and programs in the county, identify state and local policy and funding and create a process to track progress and report and success. By tracking the progress of and assessing individuals, the county will examine treatment and service capacity to determine which programs and services are available for those with mental illnesses and substance abuse orders to minimize contact with the justice system. The aim is to keep these individuals out of the jail system and provide more support through community programs and services. In other business, the commissioners adopted recommendations of the Tax Incentive Review Council for tax abatement agreements for the city of Bellevue.