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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0448.002 2014-2016PI Pmc Comm 448 Chair Paleka, Vice Chair Ilagan and Members of the Public Safety and Mass Transit Committee: Before commenting on this Resolution, please permit me to provide you with some of my background. I am a criminal justice professional, having served in various capacities with the State Department of Public Safety, which is responsible for the operation of all jails and prisons in Hawaii. My service included two terms as Director of the Department. I have been retired from State service as of December 31, 2014. On this Resolution, I am speaking as a private citizen. During my more recent tenure as Director, it was apparent to me that all of our State's jails (or Community Correctional Centers), including the Hawaii CCC in Hilo, have been plagued by an influx of homeless persons, many of whom are mentally ill and substance abusers. It was estimated that one of every three intakes into the Centers fit into this category. Moreover, many of these persons were arrested for minor crimes and were held because they could not post relatively low bail. This group of inmates exacerbated the already severe overcrowd conditions experienced in the facilities, and they consumed a disproportionate level of health care and housing resources. Unfortunately, when they were released after serving short jail terms, they would return to the same conditions in the streets that got them in trouble with the law in the first place. Correctional facilities have become the largest mental health institutions in the country. Many of the incarcerated mentally ill have committed serious crimes. For these persons, incarceration is an appropriate response. However, many - especially in the jails - are not necessarily serious criminals. They, and our community, would be far better served if health, housing, and social services were more available and accessible. For this to occur, there needs to be significant commitment and coordination among State and County agencies. This will not be easy, and it will not happen overnight. But we must begin, by acknowledging the challenge and resolving to work toward meaningful change. To this end, the National Association of Counties (NACo), the Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center, and the American Psychiatric Foundation (APF) are leading an unprecedented national initiative to help advance efforts to reduce the number of adults with mental illnesses and co-occurring substance use disorders in jails. They call this the Stepping Up Initiative. To build on the foundation of innovative and evidence -based practices already being implemented across the country, and to bring these efforts to scale, NACo, the CSG Justice Center, and APF are working with partner organizations with expertise in the complex issues addressed by the initiative, including those representing sheriffs, jail administrators, judges, community corrections professionals and treatment providers, consumers, advocates, mental health and drug abuse service directors, and other stakeholders. Stepping Up is Hawaii County Council Committee on Public Safety and Mass Transit C October 5, 2015 To: Hawaii County Council Committee on Public Safety and Mass Transit a -` Council Member Daniel K. Paleka, Jr, Chair Council Member Greggor Ilagan, Vice Chair %0 From: Ted Sakai -- -- Re: Testimony on Council Resolution 268-15: Enlists the County of Hawaii in the Stepping Up Initiative to Reduce the Number of Jailed Persons with Serious Mental Illnesses Chair Paleka, Vice Chair Ilagan and Members of the Public Safety and Mass Transit Committee: Before commenting on this Resolution, please permit me to provide you with some of my background. I am a criminal justice professional, having served in various capacities with the State Department of Public Safety, which is responsible for the operation of all jails and prisons in Hawaii. My service included two terms as Director of the Department. I have been retired from State service as of December 31, 2014. On this Resolution, I am speaking as a private citizen. During my more recent tenure as Director, it was apparent to me that all of our State's jails (or Community Correctional Centers), including the Hawaii CCC in Hilo, have been plagued by an influx of homeless persons, many of whom are mentally ill and substance abusers. It was estimated that one of every three intakes into the Centers fit into this category. Moreover, many of these persons were arrested for minor crimes and were held because they could not post relatively low bail. This group of inmates exacerbated the already severe overcrowd conditions experienced in the facilities, and they consumed a disproportionate level of health care and housing resources. Unfortunately, when they were released after serving short jail terms, they would return to the same conditions in the streets that got them in trouble with the law in the first place. Correctional facilities have become the largest mental health institutions in the country. Many of the incarcerated mentally ill have committed serious crimes. For these persons, incarceration is an appropriate response. However, many - especially in the jails - are not necessarily serious criminals. They, and our community, would be far better served if health, housing, and social services were more available and accessible. For this to occur, there needs to be significant commitment and coordination among State and County agencies. This will not be easy, and it will not happen overnight. But we must begin, by acknowledging the challenge and resolving to work toward meaningful change. To this end, the National Association of Counties (NACo), the Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center, and the American Psychiatric Foundation (APF) are leading an unprecedented national initiative to help advance efforts to reduce the number of adults with mental illnesses and co-occurring substance use disorders in jails. They call this the Stepping Up Initiative. To build on the foundation of innovative and evidence -based practices already being implemented across the country, and to bring these efforts to scale, NACo, the CSG Justice Center, and APF are working with partner organizations with expertise in the complex issues addressed by the initiative, including those representing sheriffs, jail administrators, judges, community corrections professionals and treatment providers, consumers, advocates, mental health and drug abuse service directors, and other stakeholders. Stepping Up is Hawaii County Council Committee on Public Safety and Mass Transit Page 2 targeting the Counties because in forty four of fifty states in the country, jails are the responsibility of the counties. Resolution 268-15 is critical to the State's efforts to join in Stepping Up and to be able to take advantage of the resources and expertise that are available. Although the State is largely responsible for the services required in this area, the inability to resolve the issues has serious impacts on the County, its services (police, prosecution, emergency services facilities maintenance) and the people who live here. Any improvements effected by the State will have clear benefits to the County. Passage of this resolution is needed for our state's participation in this important national initiative, al least in this County. I urge favorable consideration of this Resolution 268-15.