Diversion First

About the Program

Category: Criminal Justice and Public Safety (Best in Category)

Year: 2017

About one in five Americans has a mental health issue. In the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center, the percentage is much higher. On January 1, 2016, Fairfax County launched Diversion First, which offers alternatives to incarceration for people with mental illness or developmental disabilities who come into contact with the criminal justice system for low level offenses. The goal is to intercede whenever possible to provide assessment, treatment or needed supports. People needing diversion may also have a substance use disorder, which often co-occurs with mental illness. Diversion First changes the way behavioral health and criminal justice systems interact, resulting in better outcomes for individuals and the community. In the first year, the county focused on diverting at the point of potential arrest. As a result, 375 people were diverted. To support this effort, Fairfax County: • Opened the Merrifield Crisis Response Center and put police officers and sheriff’s deputies on-site to accept the transfer of custody of diverted individuals, allowing transporting patrol officers to return to their duties more quickly. • Trained first responders on the street and at the jail in crisis intervention and mental health first aid. • Expanded the community mobile crisis response team. • Developed extensive outreach tools to raise awareness about Diversion First and what it means for mental health consumers and caregivers. In summary, Diversion First is designed to prevent repeat encounters with the criminal justice system, improve public safety, promote a healthier community and is a more cost-effective and efficient use of public funding. The program’s success is the result of collaboration and commitment among a broad group of stakeholders, including law enforcement; government leaders; judges and magistrates; the public defender and commonwealth’s attorney; and mental health providers, consumers and advocates.