Board Matter

September 12, 2017

Board Matter Regarding Course Corrections: Mid-Atlantic Summit on

Behavioral Health & Criminal Justice Findings

Madame Chairman:

On March 22 and 23, 2017, experts and leaders on behavioral health and criminal justice from Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia gathered for an Equitas’ Course Corrections sponsored Mid-Atlantic Summit on Behavioral Health and Criminal Justice. Fairfax County Sheriff Stacy Kinkaid was a key-note speaker and the County was well represented.

The purpose of this meeting was to (1) acknowledge the urgent need for an alternative to incarceration and criminal justice system involvement for people living with mental illness and/or those who may be experiencing a behavioral health crisis, (2) to build a consensus regarding what course corrections are most urgently required, especially with regard to supporting community reintegration, and (3) to provide recommendations for overcoming barriers to reducing incarceration, improving behavioral health outcomes, and maintaining public safety.

Therefore, Madame Chairman, I ask without objection, that the recommendations be referred to staff to review and report to the Board on whether we should support these recommendations. This repoport should come in time for any recommendation to be included the 2018 General Assembly legislative program. In addition, staff should consider whether these are recommendations the county should consider as part of the County’s FY 2019 budget.