(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—In recognition of Mental Illness Awareness Week, Attorney General DeWine today released the Ohio Attorney General's Task Force on Criminal Justice and Mental Illness annual report.
The Attorney General's Task Force on Criminal Justice and Mental Illness was established in 2011 to address the significant number of individuals with mental illnesses who are involved in the adult and juvenile criminal justice system. The task force is co-chaired by Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton, Retired.
"This task force is focused on finding ways to stop the revolving door of incarceration for people with mental illness and to provide them with treatment," said Attorney General DeWine. "Through the work of this group, I am confident that we are creating a better environment for Ohio families, individuals with mental illness and their loved ones, and peace officers across the state."
The report, which can be found on the Ohio Attorney General's here, outlines the broad range of projects the task force has worked on regarding issues of mental health and the criminal justice system, including:
- Promoting the Stepping Up Initiative, a national movement to reduce the number of people with mental illnesses in jails.
- Identifying gaps in the quantity and quality of supportive housing services for transitional youths exiting the juvenile justice system.
- Reaching out to law enforcement agencies that have not had Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training and providing support to their respective communities as they enter into the process.
The task force is composed of state agency representatives, law enforcement, judges, and mental health professionals who meet regularly to increase public safety and reduce the number of persons with mental illness trapped in the criminal justice system. The task force evolved from a similar committee that Justice Lundberg Stratton started in 2001.