Joint Task Force

The task force, made up of National Association of Counties and National Sheriffs’ Association members representing county leaders, law enforcement, judges, prosecutors, public defenders, behavioral health and veterans’ services, will explore the impacts of the national mental and behavioral health crisis and the Medicaid Inmate Exclusion Policy (MIEP), which strips federal health and veterans’ benefits from individuals upon admission to jail – not upon conviction – leading to increased recidivism.

“This task force will work tirelessly to remove the roadblocks people face in getting the care they need. These experienced people will fix this problem and help the thousands of mentally ill citizens trapped in Americas’ jail without the proper care.”
Jonathan Thompson, Executive Director/CEO, National Sheriffs’ Association

Press Release >>>

Reducing Recidivism through Access to Health Care

Weekly Policy Summaries

• May 13, 2019
• May 6, 2019
• April 26, 2019
• April 19, 2019
• April 12, 2019
• April 5, 2019
• March 28, 2019
• March 22, 2019

Resources

Reinstate Federal Health Care Benefits for Non-Convicted Justice-Involved Individuals [NACo/NSA PDF, May 2019]

Federal Policy Impacts on County Jail Inmate Healthcare & Recidicvism: How Flawed Federal Policy is Driving Higher Recidivism Rates [NACo PDF, March 2019]

Members of the Task Force

• Co-Chair: Commissioner Nancy Sharpe, Arapahoe County, Colo.
• Co-Chair: Sheriff Greg Champagne, St. Charles Parish, La.
• Delrice Adams, Executive Director, Cook County, Ill. Justice Advisory Council
• Sheriff Michael Adkinson, Walton County, Fla.
• Kathryn Barger, Supervisor, Los Angeles County, Calif.
• Commissioner Roy Charles Brooks, Tarrant County, Texas
• Sheriff Brett Clark, Hendricks County, Ind.
• Sheriff Jerry Clayton, Washtenaw County, Mich.
• Sheriff Thomas Dart, Cook County, Ill.
• Hon. Jerry Demings, Mayor, Orange County, Fla.
• John Flynn, District Attorney, Erie County, N.Y., Member of the Board of Directors, National District Attorneys Association
• Sheriff Daron Hall, Davidson County, Tenn.
• Sheriff Michael Heldman, Hancock County, Ohio
• Hon. David Hudson, Judge, Sebastian County, Ark.
• Hon. Clay Jenkins, Judge, Dallas County, Texas
• Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian, Middlesex County, Mass.
• Hon. Steven Leifman, Associate Administrative Judge, Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida, Miami-Dade County, Fla.
• Nick Macchione, Director, Health and Human Services Agency, San Diego County, Calif.
• Sheriff John McMahon, San Bernardino County, Calif.
• Sheriff Gabriel Morgan Sr., Newport News, Va.
• Christopher Moss, County Executive, Chemung County, N.Y.
• Sheriff Eric Severson, Waukesha County, Wisc.
• Commissioner Helen Stone, Chatham County, Ga.
• Sheriff Tim Svenson, Yamhill County, Ore.
• Commissioner Janet Thompson, Boone County, Mo.
• Sheriff Errol Toulon, Jr., Suffolk County, N.Y.
• Hon. Jenny Wilson, Mayor, Salt Lake County, Utah
• Edward Zachary, Director, Veterans Service Office, Medina County, Ohio