Stepping Up is a national initiative to reduce the number of people with mental illness in jails. Stepping Up works to divert persons with mental illness from entering the jail system.

Some statistics:

• More than two thirds of jail detainees have a substance abuse disorder
• 17% of jail population has serious mental illness. Of that 17%, 75% have co‐occurring mental illness and substance abuse disorder
• Inmates with mental illness…
  • have a longer length of stay and are more likely to return to jail
  • don’t receive the treatment they need in jail
  • cost the jail is 50% more than other inmates