'Jails have become the largest provider of mental health treatment in our nation'

by Tom Adams and KVAL.com

Sat, June 3rd 2017, 12:09 AM UTC

What is the situation in Lane County? In a survey conducted from 2003 to 2005, 30 percent of jail inmates had a mental health illness. Sheriff Byron Trapp says that figure is closer to 60 percent now. (SBG)

Here's the problem: an estimated 2 million people with serious mental illnesses are locked up in county jails in America every year.

"Jails have become the largest provider of mental health treatment in our nation," said County Commissioner Jay Bozievich. (SBG)

"It's not the right way to address our mentally ill in the community," Trapp said.

To fight back, the county has signed on to the Stepping Up initiative.

The move formalizes steps the county has taken to try to get ahead of the problem. (SBG)

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What is the situation in Lane County? In a survey conducted from 2003 to 2005, 30 percent of jail inmates had a mental health illness. Sheriff Byron Trapp says that figure is closer to 60 percent now. (SBG)

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