July is National Deflection Awareness Month, and ThinkHealth proudly joins the movement to raise awareness about the critical role of deflection in our communities. Deflection represents a compassionate approach that redirects individuals away from the criminal justice system and toward supportive services such as addiction treatment, mental health care, and social support.

Understanding Deflection:

Deflection is a form of pre-arrest diversion, often initiated by law enforcement, aimed at redirecting low-level offenders from incarceration towards community-based programs. These programs may include informal warnings, civil citations, direct referrals to diversion programs, and connections to treatment services or restorative justice programs.

Common Deflection Programs:

In communities across the country, deflection initiatives include:

• Stop, Triage, Engage, Educate and Rehabilitate Police Deflection
• The Safety Net Collaborative
• Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion

Target Population and Benefits:

Deflection primarily targets individuals involved in drug-related offenses, experiencing mental health crises, or facing homelessness. The underlying philosophy is that individuals benefit more from treatment options than from the negative consequences of arrest and incarceration. Deflection also mitigates negative impacts on law-abiding community members affected by an inefficient justice system.

Goals and Support:

National Deflection Awareness Month aims to spread awareness about policing initiatives that allocate resources efficiently. Effective justice systems prioritize addressing violent crime, not fixating on individuals better served by social services or alternative accountability methods. Jurisdictions nationwide have innovated new approaches for managing non-violent, low-level offenders outside the formal criminal justice system for over two decades.

Law enforcement agencies, including the National Sheriffs' Association, endorse deflection practices as a means to fulfill their mission of protecting and serving. In May 2022, the White House introduced model legislation to expand addiction-focused deflection, underscoring its legitimacy.

National Deflection Week:

During National Deflection Week, we celebrate the deflection community—volunteers, partners, service providers, and community leaders—for their roles in saving lives and reducing substance use. The National Governors Association (NGA) supports this work through the Learning Collaborative on Strategies to Support the Development of State-Level Deflection and Pre-Arrest Diversion (DPAD) Initiatives. Launched in 2023 with CDC funding and in partnership with PTACC, this initiative aids state teams in developing sustainable DPAD solutions for individuals with substance use disorders.

The Pathways of Deflection:

Deflection initiatives encompass six main pathways:

• Self-Referral
• Active Outreach
• Naloxone Plus
• First Responder/Officer Referral
• Officer Intervention
• Community Response

These locally and regionally driven initiatives receive federal support from organizations like the CDC, SAMHSA, and BJA. Programs can start with one pathway and expand over time by incorporating additional pathways.

Join Us in Making a Difference:

At ThinkHealth, we believe in the transformative potential of deflection to improve lives and communities. Together, we can create a future where support and rehabilitation replace punishment and incarceration. Visit here to learn more about how you can get involved and make a difference this National Deflection Awareness Month.