Deflection Information and Resources
What Is Deflection?
“Deflection serves as a community-centered practice by which law enforcement or other first responders make warm handoffs to community-based treatment and/or other services for people who have substance use or mental health disorders. Deflection presents an alternative to arresting people who might otherwise either enter the justice system or receive no assistance to address their needs.” — definition courtesy of the Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network.
Oregon’s HB 4002, signed April 1, encourages law enforcement to engage in deflection, in coordination with a new system of local deflection programs. A $20MM grant program was established within the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission to support the establishment of new deflection programs.
Sign up for our Deflection Engagement and Coordination ECHO Program
This program will provide a forum for Deflection program coordinators and other team members to discuss best practices, explore deflection models, and implement deflection programs in Oregon that meet the standards set out in Oregon HB 4002.
Virtual sessions take place on Wednesdays, noon - 1 p.m., October 16, 2024 - May 21, 2025
Recorded Content
Deflection Resources Library
If you’re looking for clinical addiction care resources instead, go to our Clinical Resources Library.
Learn the basics of Deflection:
For Leaders- Deflection Program Design Framework in 6 Pages https://ptaccollaborative.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/TASC_Deflection-Framework___Tool_Jan-2017.pdf
E-course for Police and First Responder Deflection https://www.cossup.org/Learn/SelfDirected/Deflection
JCOIN e-course https://www.jcoinctc.org/courses/first-responder-deflection-a-warm-handoff-to-services-in-the-community/
JCOIN e-course resources index https://www.jcoinctc.org/wp-content/uploads/Deflection-eCourse-resources.pdf
Critical Elements of Successful First Responder Diversion Programs https://www.cossapresources.org/Content/Documents/Articles/CHJ_TASC_Critical_Elements.pdf
PTACC 6-models and resources https://ptaccollaborative.org/ptacc-suite/
Civil Citation Model
Example 1 Officer SOP https://civilcitation.com/resources/sarasota-police-department-general-order-title-adult-pre-arrest-diversion-program
Example 1 Officer SOP https://civilcitation.com/resources/rapid-accountability-diversion-rad-program-albuquerque-police-department
Understand Officer Intervention for Deflection
Pathways to Diversion Case Studies https://www.cossup.org/Content/Documents/Articles/Pathways_to_Diversion_Case_Studies_Series_Officer_Intervention.pdf
Law-Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) model
LEAD Support Bureau https://leadbureau.org/
Research and Reports
National Deflection Survey by TASC’s Center for Health and Justice https://www.cossapresources.org/Content/Documents/Articles/CHJ-TASC_Nation_Survey_Report.pdf
Role of Peer Support Specialists
SAMHSA: peer role, best practices, and competencies https://www.samhsa.gov/brss-tacs/recovery-support-tools/peers
Peer integration https://www.cossup.org/Content/Documents/Articles/Altarum_Five_Steps_to_Effective_Integration_of_PRSS_in_the_Criminal_Justice_System_Nov_2022.pdf
MHACBO Site (certifies majority of Oregon recovery peers) https://www.mhacbo.org/en/
MHACBO Code of Conduct https://mhacbo.com/media/filer_public/c3/e1/c3e182c1-64aa-459b-83f9-5a4848db154d/mhacbo_code_of_conduct_03-11-2019.pdf
Peer Support Specialist Scope of Practice table https://www.oregon.gov/oha/HPA/dsi-tc/Documents/PSS-PWS-Scope-of-Practice.pdf
Hiring Peers with Criminal Justice Backgrounds https://civilcitation.com/resources/building-new-horizons-opening-career-pathways-for-peers-with-criminal-justice-backgrounds