Familiar faces—individuals with complex behavioral health needs who frequently cycle through jails, homeless shelters, emergency departments and other local crisis services—often do not have the support needed to ensure treatment engagement and successful outcomes. Counties and cities’ complex social services systems can be fragmented, leaving vulnerable individuals to fall through the cracks. The Familiar Faces Initiative empowers communities to share data and integrate care options between health and justice systems so they can intervene earlier, improve outcomes and reduce incarceration and hospitalization rates.

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Application deadline approaching for NACo's Criminal Justice Coordinating Councils Peer Exchange

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North Carolina county decreases 911 non-emergency calls by connecting residents to services they need

Guilford County, N.C. was inundated with 911 calls until the county connected residents to resources, including primary care physicians and access to food, so they don’t feel the need to call an emergency line.

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Six years of the SUPPORT Act: Ongoing behavioral health policy priorities for counties

On October 24, 2018, the bipartisan SUPPORT Act was enacted. It represented the largest Congressional investment in overdose prevention at the time, aiming to strengthen the nation's response to the substance use crisis.

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County Countdown – Oct. 22, 2024

Every other week, NACo's County Countdown reviews top federal policy advocacy items with an eye towards counties and the intergovernmental partnership.

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FCC adopts geo-routing requirements for the 988 Hotline

On October 17, the FCC adopted a Report and Order implementing new geo-routing requirements for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

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Counties Applaud Final Rulemaking to Improve 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

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Webinar

Bridging Gaps: Collaborative Strategies for Supporting Youth Reentry Through Medicaid

Join the National Association of Medicaid Directors and NACo for a deep dive into CMS’s latest guidance on extending Medicaid and CHIP services to incarcerated youth. This policy shift opens up new opportunities for state and county partnerships to ensure continuous healthcare coverage for young people in the justice system. Discover practical approaches for collaboration between Medicaid agencies and county jails to facilitate successful enrollment, improve health outcomes, and support youths’ transitions back into the community. This session will include insights from county health leaders, best practices for cross-system coordination, and strategies for leveraging federal support to enhance service delivery.