Much of the news about our country’s leaders and their policy debates are sounding childish and immature to me. I have to admit, I turn it off or walk away – thinking – Geez grow up!
Then, I got word of a local news story. I’m inspired and awe struck. This is an antidote to the typical news of the day!
I am proud to be working with the Ohio Stepping Up initiative and its state leaders, Evelyn Lundberg Stratton, retired Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court and Thom Craig, of the Peg’s Foundation. These inspiring state leaders, with local county public officials across Ohio and the Council of State Government’s Justice Center are working collaboratively and creatively to solve a pressing social problem: the re-institutionalization of people with a mental illness by way of jail. These public officials demonstrate that we are capable and willing to provide better care to people who are ill while reducing public expenditures on locking people up. And my gosh, they are doing it with civility – yep, no name calling or playing the blame game.