Mental Health Summit draws more than 120

Statewide mental health summit draws more than 120

On Oct. 4, 2016, AAC hosted the first-ever Statewide Summit on Mental Health and Criminal Justice Reinvestment. More than 120 attended the event, including county and state officials, state legislators, behavioral health advocacy groups and other stakeholders. Representatives from each group spoke about how mental and behavioral health issues and jail overcrowding have affected their organizations.

Top Right: The day began with a joint meeting of the Criminal Justice and Behavioral Health task forces. Andrew Barbee of the Council of State Governments Justice Center presented recommendations for addressing jail overcrowding.

Middle Right: The summit began at AAC following the task force meeting. State Rep. Clarke Tucker, chairman of the Behavioral Health Treatment Access Legislative Task Force, state Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson, co-chairman of the Legislative Criminal Justice Oversight Task Force and state Rep. Matthew Shepherd, co-chairman of the Legislative Criminal Justice Oversight Task Force, updated attendees on the activities of their task forces. Also pictured is state Sen. Eddie Joe Williams, who attended the summit.

Below Left: County officials, including judges, sheriffs and jailers, attended the summit. Pictured are Maj. Clayton Edwards, jail administrator in White County, and Lincoln County Sheriff Leonard Hogg.

Below Right: Several members of the state legislature attended the summit. Pictured from left to right are Rep. Rick Beck, Rep. Sue Scott, Sen. Joyce Elliott, Rep. Trevor Drown, Rep. Frederick Love, Rep. Ron McNair and Rep. George McGill.