Deflection and Diversion Collaborations in Northern Nevada

Session Submission Type: Complete Thematic Panel

Abstract/Description

It is no secret that the justice system has been on the front line of mental health care in the U.S. for years (Al-Rousan et al., 2017). in a given county. In recent years, the field of deflection and diversion has grown across the United States, and the call for police reform has included calls for mental health awareness, trauma informed practice, and better supportive resources for community members in crisis. More than ever, communities must take a coordinated, multi-system approach to address these challenges. In Northern Nevada, deflection and diversion programs have been collaborating with researchers for several years to measure their activities and successes. Over the past few years, efforts have increased to expand these programs, and introduce new initiatives to respond to the growing challenges posed by increases in mental health and substance use concerns. This panel will discuss an overview of the current deflection and diversion efforts in the region, including challenges experienced by both urban and rural communities. We will also discuss the collaborative efforts of these programs, including the development and publication of a program handbook for the region’s jail diversion programs, and evaluations of the jail diversion and co-responder model deflection programs.

Sub Unit

• Area VII. Non-Criminal Justice Responses to Crime & Delinquency / 58. Community Responses

Individual Presentations

• A Tale of Two Cities and a Whole Lot of Frontier: Deflection and Diversion in Northern Nevada - Katie M. Snider, Justice Research, LLC; Brian Lee, University of Nevada, Reno; Jennifer Lanterman, University of Nevada, Reno; Veronica Dahir, University of Nevada, Reno

• FASTT Jail Reentry Diversion Program Handbook - Katie M. Snider, Justice Research, LLC; Cherylyn Rahr-Wood, Nevada Rural Hospital Partners

• Forensic Assessment Services Triage Team (FASTT) 2022-2023 Combined Evaluation - Brian Lee, University of Nevada, Reno; Veronica Dahir, University of Nevada, Reno; Jennifer Lanterman, University of Nevada, Reno

• Mobile Outreach Safety Teams (MOST) 2022-2023 Combined Evaluation - Brian Lee, University of Nevada, Reno; Veronica Dahir, University of Nevada, Reno; Jennifer Lanterman, University of Nevada, Reno

Chair

• Katie M. Snider, Justice Research, LLC

Discussant

• Jennifer Lanterman, University of Nevada, Reno