Diversion Programs
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Pre-Booking Diversion
Individuals with mental illness and/or co-occurring substance use disorders can often be diverted from the criminal justice system by law enforcement officers before formal charges are brought. Pre-booking diversion occurs at the point of contact with law enforcement officers and relies heavily on effective interactions between police and community mental health and substance abuse service providers.
Most pre-booking programs are characterized by specialized training for police officers and a 24-hour crisis drop-off center with a no-refusal policy for persons brought in by the police.
The most recognized program model is the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Training developed in Memphis, TN. Other models of pre-booking diversion involve collaboration between police and specially-trained mental health service providers who co-respond to calls involving a potential mental health crisis.
The TAPA Center publication, A Guide to Implementing Police-Based Diversion Programs for People with Mental Illness, describes the experiences of many communities seeking to implement or improve CIT and other pre-booking diversion programs.
For more information about Pre-booking Diversion visit these websites:
