Johnson County hosted 13 counties from across the country this week as a Peer-Learning Site for the Familiar Faces Initiative.

Standing at the forefront of criminal justice innovation, Johnson County joined three other counties as the inaugural group of the National Association of Counties’ Familiar Faces Initiative Peer-Learning Sites. From jail reentry planning to intensive care management, each host site pioneers approaches to better serve familiar faces.

During the site visit, the county shared its innovative approach with various agencies, including Salt Lake County, Utah; Durham County, North Carolina; Contra Costa County, California; the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Council of State Governments Justice Center.

Attendees explored the systems at play in Johnson County’s behavioral health and justice continuum. This continuum relies on data to better support “familiar faces” – those with health and behavioral health conditions who frequently cycle through jails, homeless shelters, emergency departments and other crisis services.

One specific system attendees learned about was My Resource Connection, an internal data-sharing program. MyRC allows service providers to share client data between various agencies, while highlighting trends or gaps in service. The county then uses this data to better provide services to those in need.

Attendees also participated in a reentry simulation, which put them in the shoes of individuals reentering society following incarceration. The simulation highlights the difficulty to avoid recidivism, as nearly 65% will return to prison within three years of their release.

Following the site visit, Johnson County will continue to participate in the Familiar Faces network through calls, presentations, events and a community message board.

Learn more about the Familiar Faces Initiative Case Study: Johnson County, Kansas. To see a full list of counties participating as FFI peer learning sites and find out more about the Familiar Faces Initiative, visit familiarfaces.naco.org.