June 2022
ACCG NEWS
Register Today: Summer Policy Committee Meetings

ACCG's seven standing Policy Committees will meet during the summer to discuss the issues and recommend policy objectives for the 2023 session of the General Assembly as well as for Congress and federal and state agencies. Meetings will be held over the span of two days in both the northern and southern regions of the state. Contact your county clerk to register. Meeting dates, times and locations can be found here.

ACCG Policy Committee Issues Survey
Your Input Is Needed!

As one session of the Georgia General Assembly ends, preparation for the next begins. ACCG would like to gauge what issues your county is facing that need state or federal assistance, a change to state or federal law, or a modification to state or federal agency rules and regulations. To capture the policy issues affecting your county, we ask that you take the brief survey found here.

ACCG Webinar: Grants for COVID-19 Mitigation in County Jails

While the severity of COVID-19 has decreased because of vaccinations and changes in the variants, it still has the potential to spread rapidly and cause issues for counties - especially in facilities such as county jails. Georgia Southern University has partnered with the Georgia Department of Public Health to improve the mitigation of COVID-19 in jails as well as to offer reimbursement for costs incurred due to approved COVID-19 mitigation activities. The project is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through the ELC Detection and Mitigation of COVID-19 in Confinement Facilities Grant Program as part of a financial assistance award to the Georgia Department of Public Health. ACCG is hosting a webinar on Tuesday, June 21, 2022 at 10 a.m. to provide counties an opportunity to learn more about this grant program to assist with COVID-19 mitigation in county jails. Learn more about how your county can participate in this program and be approved for cost reimbursement associated with COVID-19 mitigation activities in jails by participating in this webinar.
 
County Chairs and Managers/Administrators are encouraged to participate in this webinar and invite others to register who also may be interested in this program including Sheriffs, Jail Administrators, Grants Managers and others.
To register for the webinar, click here.  
State News
CJCC Identifying Predictors of Mental Illness in County Jail Data Report

The Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) recently released an innovative and informative research study examining the prevalence of county jail inmates suffering with mental illness. The CJCC studied nine jails that served as a sample size that was representative of the entire state. These nine jails represented 25% of the jail population in Georgia. This study found that those with mental illness typically spent twice as long in jail and were 1.5 times more likely to be booked in jail again within the same year. Studies such as these help county governments make smart and informed policy decisions regarding criminal justice and public safety. To read this study, please click here. 

Georgia Adds New Emergency Number for Mental Health

Beginning on July 16th, Georgia will launch 988, a national crisis line. This line is aimed at providing a communication and resource center for those facing mental health crisis. The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities will be responsible for the rollout in Georgia. This line will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This national crisis line is just one of the many steps aimed at providing better mental health resources to those facing crisis. 

Register for the 15th Annual Georgia Environmental Conference
 
The 15th Annual Georgia Environmental Conference will take place on August 24 – 26 at the Jekyll Island Convention Center in Glynn County. The Georgia Environmental Conference is the state’s largest, most comprehensive and diverse educational opportunity regarding environmental issues. More information can be found here.
Federal News
Grant Opportunity: Bridge Investment Program

The Bridge Investment Program (BIP) is a competitive, discretionary program that focuses on existing bridges to reduce the overall number of bridges in poor condition, or in fair condition at risk of falling into poor condition. BIP information can be found here, which includes a link to the notice of funding, a fact sheet, and Q&As.  


USDOT Webinar: How to Apply for Safe Streets and Roads for All Implement Grants

The U.S. Department of Transportation is hosting an informational webinar on June 23 from 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. on the Safe Streets for All (SS4A) grant program. This webinar will offer a general overview of the SS4A program and the grant application process and provide a particular focus on applying for Implementation Grants. Click here to register.


NACo Needs You! Join a 2022 Policy Steering Committee

All 159 counties in Georgia are members of the National Association of Counties (NACo); therefore, you are eligible to serve on a NACo Policy Steering Committee. County Commissioners and county staff are invited to take advantage of this opportunity to have an impact on federal laws and regulations.
 
Your involvement with a NACo steering committee gives Georgia counties a voice in the NACo policy process!
 
NACo policy steering committees annually review and make recommendations on federal policy issues and legislation. Most meetings take place by conference call. The committee members are appointed by state associations and serve one-year terms. The new committee appointments go into effect in September after the NACo Annual Conference has concluded.
 
10 Policy Steering Committees:
  • Agriculture and Rural Affairs
  • Community, Economic & Workforce Development
  • Environment, Energy & Land Use
  • Finance, Pensions & Intergovernmental Affairs
  • Health
  • Human Services & Education
  • Justice & Public Safety
  • Public Lands
  • Telecommunications & Technology
  • Transportation
 
Please Note: NACo members can only serve on one Policy Steering Committee per year. No more than two individuals from the same county and eight individuals from the same state can serve on the same Policy Steering Committee. In addition, the ACCG Board of Managers has adopted criteria to aid in the selection of NACo Policy Steering Committee members which gives priority to county elected officials over staff, committee incumbency and the date and time the application is submitted.
 
To join, fill out the nomination forms and submit to kbowen@accg.org before July 11th.

Resources
Questions? Email the
ACCG Legislative team:
Register today for the Summer Policy Committee Meetings!

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ACCG is YOUR county association. We are here to advance all 159 Georgia county governments. Please feel free to contact a member of the policy team if they can assist in any way.