Browse Working Group Recommendations
Below each working group recommendation is an initial list of County & City departments that have committed to implementation efforts. Quarterly progress updates for listed recommendations will be posted within thirty (30) days of the prior quarter’s end (Q3= July 1 – September 30, Q4= October 1 – December 31). This list will be revised and more information will be added in the future as we engage further with the County, City, and other community organizations.
CJK1R1a
Working Group: Criminal Justice
Key Issue: PRE-ARREST DIVERSION
Recommendation: Crisis Intervention Team: a team of mental health professionals, social workers and/or crisis counselors to send as first responders to calls involving mental health crises, welfare check, substance abuse, family disputes and homelessness such as the CAHOOTS model in Eugene, Oregon.
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Key Issue: PRE-ARREST DIVERSION
Recommendation: Crisis Intervention Team: a team of mental health professionals, social workers and/or crisis counselors to send as first responders to calls involving mental health crises, welfare check, substance abuse, family disputes and homelessness such as the CAHOOTS model in Eugene, Oregon.
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| Owner | Organization / Department | Timeframe |
|---|---|---|
| County | Human Services - Mental Health |
CJK3R7k
Working Group: Criminal Justice
Key Issue: COURT/ PROBATIONS / JAIL
Recommendation: Establish within Monroe County a psychiatric facility that is equipped to assist youth facing criminal charges who are struggling with mental illnesses. While these youth are often brought to the detention center, the center is not adequately staffed to meet their needs.
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Key Issue: COURT/ PROBATIONS / JAIL
Recommendation: Establish within Monroe County a psychiatric facility that is equipped to assist youth facing criminal charges who are struggling with mental illnesses. While these youth are often brought to the detention center, the center is not adequately staffed to meet their needs.
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| Owner | Organization / Department | Timeframe |
|---|---|---|
| County | Human Services - Mental Health | Mixed |
MHK10R1
Working Group: Mental Health/Addiction
Key Issue: Cross Sector
Recommendation: Create a County-City Accountability Committee/Board composed of a diverse consumer, non-governmental organizations, and professional membership for monitoring system initiatives to overcome barriers to care based on structure, race, or ability to pay. To ensure independence and accountability to the community, however, the committee should not be led by a professional.
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Key Issue: Cross Sector
Recommendation: Create a County-City Accountability Committee/Board composed of a diverse consumer, non-governmental organizations, and professional membership for monitoring system initiatives to overcome barriers to care based on structure, race, or ability to pay. To ensure independence and accountability to the community, however, the committee should not be led by a professional.
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| Owner | Organization / Department | Timeframe |
|---|---|---|
| County | Human Services - Mental Health | 1-3 years |
MHK1R1
Working Group: Mental Health/Addiction
Key Issue: Availability of sufficient, high-quality mental health and addiction services is extremely limited in trusted community settings for people of color and low-income people.
Recommendation: Practices: Develop Community Behavioral Health Advocates (CBHA), a program employing local residents who are trained and certified to assist people with advocacy; offer help to connect with and navigate behavioral 170 Mental Health Association of Rochester / Monroe County. “Racism is a Public Health Crisis.” https://www.mharochester.org/mha-acknowledges-racism-as-a-public-health-crisis/ 183 health services; identify distressed persons who need services before emergencies occur; and provide low-complexity therapeutic interventions, as appropriate.
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Key Issue: Availability of sufficient, high-quality mental health and addiction services is extremely limited in trusted community settings for people of color and low-income people.
Recommendation: Practices: Develop Community Behavioral Health Advocates (CBHA), a program employing local residents who are trained and certified to assist people with advocacy; offer help to connect with and navigate behavioral 170 Mental Health Association of Rochester / Monroe County. “Racism is a Public Health Crisis.” https://www.mharochester.org/mha-acknowledges-racism-as-a-public-health-crisis/ 183 health services; identify distressed persons who need services before emergencies occur; and provide low-complexity therapeutic interventions, as appropriate.
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| Owner | Organization / Department | Timeframe |
|---|---|---|
| County | Human Services - Mental Health | 3+ years |
MHK3R1
Working Group: Mental Health/Addiction
Key Issue: Mental health and addiction services are often unaligned and disconnected, as are City and County initiatives on these issues. Misalignment exacerbates and prolongs racial and ethnic inequities in access to mental health and addiction services.
Recommendation: Systems: Assure that current County and City initiatives regarding mental health emergency response services are fully integrated — i.e., one emergency response system, not two. A
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Key Issue: Mental health and addiction services are often unaligned and disconnected, as are City and County initiatives on these issues. Misalignment exacerbates and prolongs racial and ethnic inequities in access to mental health and addiction services.
Recommendation: Systems: Assure that current County and City initiatives regarding mental health emergency response services are fully integrated — i.e., one emergency response system, not two. A
Get Involved
| Owner | Organization / Department | Timeframe |
|---|---|---|
| County | Human Services - Mental Health | 3+ years |
SSK2R5
Working Group: Human/Social Services
Key Issue: ELIGIBILITY
Recommendation: Monroe County should review the ARES system with a committee that consists of experts in addiction recovery, community-based CASACs, and individuals who previously received public assistance. The committee should set out to amend the reporting system to follow best practices of addiction recovery, and to ensure that a sanction is never used as anything other than a last resort.
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Key Issue: ELIGIBILITY
Recommendation: Monroe County should review the ARES system with a committee that consists of experts in addiction recovery, community-based CASACs, and individuals who previously received public assistance. The committee should set out to amend the reporting system to follow best practices of addiction recovery, and to ensure that a sanction is never used as anything other than a last resort.
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| Owner | Organization / Department | Timeframe |
|---|---|---|
| County | Human Services - Mental Health | 3+ years |
SSK2R6
Working Group: Human/Social Services
Key Issue: ELIGIBILITY
Recommendation: Monroe County should permanently eliminate the 85% attendance threshold for individuals recovering from substance abuse. The County should work with the Committee established in Recommendation 1 to create new, person-centered requirements in line with NYS rules and regulations.
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Key Issue: ELIGIBILITY
Recommendation: Monroe County should permanently eliminate the 85% attendance threshold for individuals recovering from substance abuse. The County should work with the Committee established in Recommendation 1 to create new, person-centered requirements in line with NYS rules and regulations.
Get Involved
| Owner | Organization / Department | Timeframe |
|---|---|---|
| County | Human Services - Mental Health | 3+ years |
