Milwaukee County, Wis. Executive David Crowley led the Large Urban County Caucus, which is focused on enhancing housing affordability through partnerships that move from planning to implementation. The group will be touring Terwilliger Place, a housing development in Arlington County, Va., as they explore strategies to foster public-private partnerships, overcome common barriers, and identify financing options.
Meanwhile, the Commission on Mental Health and Wellbeing, co-chaired by King County, Wash. Executive Dow Constantine and Los Angeles County, Calif. Supervisor Kathryn Barger, is advocating for the reauthorization of the SUPPORT Act. This Act, the largest congressional investment in overdose prevention, is set to expire in September 2023. The commission will also be engaging with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to discuss modernizing the National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care.
These efforts highlight the importance of collaboration between local and federal governments in addressing complex issues such as housing affordability and mental health. By strengthening intergovernmental partnerships, counties can work towards achieving solutions that benefit their communities and residents. NACo President Mary Jo McGuire emphasized this crucial role of intergovernmental partnerships in achieving shared goals and addressing national crises at the local level during her visit to Washington D.C with representatives from her organization’s Large Urban Counties Caucus and Commission on Mental Health and Wellbeing
