Behavioral Health Deflection and Diversion Collaborations in Nevada

• In Event: Paths Through the Rural Justice System

Abstract

Mental health and substance use disorders are common among people who are justice-involved
(Bronson & Berzofsky, 2017; Bronson et al., 2020). However, justice-involvement, and particularly jail
detention, are costly, less effective, and potentially counterproductive responses to behavioral health-
related challenges and crises. In recent years, calls for legal system reform have focused on safer and
more effective strategies to respond to community members engaged in problem behavior or
experiencing crises due to mental health and substance use disorders. Over the last five years, legal
system actors, behavioral health practitioners, and researchers in Nevada have collaborated to develop
and expand deflection and diversion programs to prevent or reduce justice-involvement among
residents with severe behavioral health needs in urban, rural, and frontier areas. This presentation
shares findings related to the Assertive Community Treatment hospital-based program, the Mobile
Outreach Safety Team co-responder model, and the Forensic Assessment Services Triage Team jail
reentry model.

Authors

• Brian Lee, University of Nevada, Reno

• Jennifer Lanterman, University of Nevada, Reno

• Katie Snider, Justice Research, LLC

• Veronica Dahir, University of Nevada, Reno