According to the American Psychiatric Association, more people with mental illness are currently in jails than in psychiatric hospitals. Chester County is addressing this national issue on a local level with the Stepping Up Initiative. This initiative involves our county office of mental health, local criminal justice system and law enforcement, among others. Here to talk about what Chester County is doing to divert people with mental illness to treatment rather than jail time, is Susie Fink, the county’s Mental Health Diversion Specialist.
