Stepping Up is a program in Alabama that is making a major impact on the lives of citizens. Fifty-four percent of individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) are re-incarcerated and 68% of those with co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse are re-arrested (International Journal of Law and Psychiatry).
What makes this program so impactful is the fact that it not only provides services on the individual level but works on the policy and systems levels to create a continuum of care for individuals with SMI and co-occurring mental illness in these counties. This program works to break down silos and foster relationships that result in providing individuals with the necessary resources and treatment to place them on a positive trajectory.
Since the first Stepping Up programs began providing services in January 2019, over 46,393 people have been screened for serious mental illness (SMI) and substance abuse (SA), and over 9,609 people screened positive for SMI and/or SA. That means that AT LEAST 20% of individuals in the participating Alabama jails are living with mental illness and/or substance use issues.
Stepping Up received its first state appropriation in Fiscal Year 2021, and ADMH awarded an annual grant of $50,000 to centers through an RFP process. This award supported intensive case management services to screen, assess, develop a case plan for and link clients to appropriate, necessary mental health (i.e., group/individual mental health counseling, crisis intervention, and court advocacy) and social services (i.e., housing, transportation, food); recruitment for and facilitation of a local planning committee to create supportive local policies, and community outreach to mobilize community support.
Overall, the recidivism rate among Stepping Up clients is 29% which is less than half of Alabama’s recidivism rate of 38.3%.
Alabama has two counties that have earned national Innovator Project designations: Mobile County and Shelby County. This reflects sites that meet the national standards of achieving 3 criteria: 1) establish a shared definition of severe mental illness (SMI) that is used throughout the local criminal justice and behavioral health systems; 2) use a validated mental health screening tool on every person booked into the jail and refer people who screen positive for symptoms of SMI to a follow-up clinical assessment by a licensed mental health professional; and 3) record clinical assessment results and regularly report on this population.
If continued progress is made and investment by all partners is sustained, communities can benefit from:
- Increased treatment for individuals living with mental illness
- More efficient use of public funds
- Less strain on jails, courts, and law enforcement
- Increased peace of mind for families and the community
- Healthier community members
- Greater prosperity for the entire community
Report on Year 1 of Stepping Up Alabama
Report on Year 2 of Stepping Up Alabama
Report on Year 3 of Stepping Up Alabama
Report on Year 4 of Stepping Up Alabama
The National Stepping Up initiative is sponsored by the National Association of Counties, the American Psychiatric Foundation, and the Council of State Governments Justice Center, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance. Since its inception in May 2015, more than 583 counties in U.S. states have passed resolutions or proclamations to join the Initiative.
