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A U.S. Pilot Study on Co-Response, Indigenous Jail Diversion, and More!
A groundbreaking study reveals how pairing clinicians with officers led to 370 fewer psychiatric detentions. See what this could mean for crisis response.
Today’s Brief:
Jail Diversion Briefs
Co-Responder Teams Cut Involuntary Psychiatric Detentions by ~16 % in U.S. Pilot Study
New Crisis Co-Responder Team Set to Assist County Police and Mental-Health Agency
Social Media Briefs
Total Read Time: 5 minutes
👮 Jail Diversion Briefs
Officials in Ravalli County are moving ahead with a plan to raise the fees for the local jail-diversion program by about 17% in 2026 and another 17% the following year.
This article argues that jail diversion programs can significantly reduce recidivism, improve health outcomes, and offer cost-effective alternatives compared to traditional incarceration, especially for people with both mental health and substance-use disorders. It emphasizes the need for integrated treatment approaches, social supports like stable housing, and addressing structural barriers faced by marginalized groups.
In a recent court decision, a judge acknowledged the existence of a new Indigenous diversion program in Prince George as part of the framework for justice reform for Indigenous people charged with certain crimes. The program is designed to provide cultural-responsive pathways and alternatives to incarceration for Indigenous offenders involved in non-violent offences.
Sponsored by: Julota
Julota empowers smarter crisis responses by simplifying and streamlining Law Enforcement and Behavioral Health programs. By integrating hospital, EMS, and social services data into a centralized platform, it enables seamless, secure, and HIPAA-compliant collaboration. Automated reporting ensures compliance, while customizable workflows address community-specific needs. With actionable insights, teams can improve outcomes and secure greater funding, making Julota the only software purpose-built to bridge law enforcement and behavioral health with compassion and efficiency.
Premise:
A Nature Human Behaviour study evaluated whether pairing a police officer with a licensed mental-health clinician (a co-responder model) would change outcomes during emergency mental-health calls in San Mateo County, California.
Key Findings (Point Form):
Co-responder deployment led to a 16.5% reduction in involuntary psychiatric detentions over the two-year study period (≈370 fewer detentions).
When a co-responder was present on a specific incident, the chance of that call ending in a detention dropped by 11.5 percentage points.
The presence of a clinician did not increase emergency call volume, suggesting no displacement or over-reliance effect.
Researchers found no significant change in arrests, criminal charges, or overall crime outcomes, meaning the impact was focused on mental-health decisions.
The program showed that clinicians can redirect crisis encounters toward less coercive, health-centred pathways without compromising public safety.
Findings support co-response as a cost-efficient, evidence-based strategy for reducing unnecessary hospitalizations and improving crisis-care alignment.
A newly launched co-responder program will pair officers from the county sheriff’s office with clinicians from the local mental-health agency to respond to crisis calls involving mental-health or substance-use concerns. According to the article, the aim is to reduce reliance on traditional law-enforcement responses, provide de-escalation and on-scene assessment, and connect individuals with appropriate services rather than defaulting to arrest or emergency department referrals.
Social Media Briefs