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Each year, an estimated 2 million people with serious mental illnesses are admitted to jails across the nation . Almost three-quarters of these adults also have drug and alcohol use problems. Once incarcerated, individuals with mental illnesses tend to stay longer in jail and, upon release, are at a higher risk of returning to incarceration than those without these illnesses.
Fulton County Commissioner Joan Garner, known as the health commissioner, knew something must be done to address these statistics and improve the lives of people with mental illness in Atlanta. Through her work with the National Association of Counties, she was introduced to the Stepping Up Initiative. Commissioner Garner quickly realized Stepping Up provided the detailed roadmap and strategies necessary to reduce the number of people with mental illness involved in the justice system. Through her leadershi