First Responder Deflection: A Warm Handoff to Services in the Community
Deflection initiatives are being implemented across the country as a means to connect people who have substance use disorders to needed services and do so without arrest. This seminal eCourse from JCOIN introduces deflection as a collaborative, problem-solving approach for law enforcement and other first responders, substance use treatment providers, and community partners.
Also known by names such as pre-arrest diversion or co-responder programs, deflection serves as a community-centered practice by which law enforcement/first responders make a warm handoff to treatment and services in the community for people who have experienced an overdose or who have a substance use disorder.
This course provides: information on the background and purpose of deflection; descriptions of five pathways of deflection that local communities are using to connect people to services; examples of how these deflection pathways are being implemented in a variety of community settings; resources for local leaders to begin, augment, or support deflection initiatives in their communities; and guidance for incorporating evaluation into deflection initiatives.
Provide guidance on the use of deflection, including implementation and evaluation strategies, as a means to respond to substance use disorder and opioid disorder, as an alternative to arrest.
Differences between criminal justice diversion and community-based deflection; the context and purpose for deflection; five pathways for implementing deflection that can be adapted for different communities; starting or enhancing a deflection initiative; contemporary approaches for evaluation.
Law enforcement, EMS, firefighters, substance use treatment providers, peer recovery organizations, crisis service providers, community leaders.
This course is sponsored by the Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network (JCOIN), an initiative funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).
We also gratefully acknowledge the following people or organizations for contributions and support:
- Police, Treatment, and Community Collaborative (PTACC)
- Joel K. Johnson, TASC, Inc.
- Daphne Baille, TASC, Inc.
- Sophia Juarez, TASC's Center for Health and Justice
Charlier, J., Taxman, F.T., Murphy, A., Ross, J., Rahman, A. First Responder Deflection: A Warm Handoff to Services in the Community. (2022). Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network Coordination and Translation Center. https://www.jcoinctc.org/courses/first-responder-deflection-a-warm-handoff-to-services-in-the-community/
Alternatives to Arrest, Community Collaboration, Deflection, Diversion, EMT, First Responder Deflection, First Responder Diversion, First Responders, Five Pathways, Law enforcement, Naloxone, Naloxone Plus, Overdose, Overdose Prevention, Police, Pre-arrest Diversion, Referral to Treatment, Treatment Referral, Warm Handoff
Course Resource Guide
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.
The resources listed in the linked document offer information to help you dig deeper into the eCourse First Responder Deflection.
