Government-to-government partnerships are key to achieving solutions
Washington – Representatives from the National Association of Counties (NACo) Metropolitan Counties Caucus and Mental Health and Human Services Committee are visiting Washington, D.C. today to urge action and advocate for county priorities on housing affordability and mental health. and shared best practice recommendations on Capitol Hill. Hill and federal agencies.
“As front-line leaders, we see first-hand the impact federal policies have on our communities and residents. Counties address national crises like housing affordability and mental health at the local level; We are uniquely positioned to strengthen our intergovernmental partnerships to achieve common goals,” said NACo President Mary Jo McGuire.
The Metropolitan Counties Caucus, chaired by Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley in Wisconsin, is comprised of counties with populations of 500,000 or more. The group is committed to “from pencil to shovel'' in improving housing affordability, identifying effective strategies to foster public-private partnerships, overcoming common barriers to implementation, and exploring financing options and financing mechanisms. ” focuses on partnerships. The group tours Terwilliger Place, a housing development in Arlington County, Virginia.
The Mental Health and Human Services Committee, co-chaired by Executive Dow Constantine of King County, Washington, and Supervisor Kathryn Berger of Los Angeles County, California, is advocating for policy priorities, including reauthorizing the Assistance Act. There is. Until it expires in September 2023, the Assistance Act was Congress' largest investment in overdose prevention. The group also roundtabled with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on updating national guidelines for behavioral health crisis care to integrate county-led approaches. We plan to participate in the event.
For more information about NACo's Metropolitan County Executives, click here. For more information about NACo's Mental Health and Welfare Committee, click here.
