Washington County reflects on first year of deflection

Deflection is a statewide program that began September 1, 2024, with each county operating its deflection program in a way that best suits its community. The Washington County Deflection Program is a six-month program that allows eligible people who are cited or arrested for possession of a controlled substance as a misdemeanor to avoid prosecution and possible fines and jail time by engaging in treatment.

As of August 27, 86 people have participated in Deflection. Of those, 37 are still active, and 23 people have already successfully completed the six-month program.

“We attribute our first year's success to three things,” said Deflection Program Coordinator Danielle Farr with Washington County Behavioral Health. “Strong partnerships, participants’ ongoing engagement with peer-delivered services and treatment, and responsiveness to our participants' individual needs, such as linking them to services in Spanish.”

In the first year, 4D Recovery and The Peer Company – Washington County’s contracted peer-delivered services organizations – made nearly 300 referrals to 25 other partner organizations for services such as housing, substance use and mental health treatment. Sixty percent (60%) of these referrals resulted in people engaging with these services. Forty percent (40%) of people who entered the Deflection Program were unsheltered, which includes living in a tent, a vehicle, or other place not fit for human habitation. Of those, 57% became sheltered while in the program.

“Deflection is a unique support and often a first opportunity at substance use treatment,” said Farr. “About a quarter of individuals entering our program say they have never participated in treatment before.”

Over the next six months, Washington County will look into how to expand its program to increase participation further. After expanding citation eligibility twice in the last year, the team hopes to create an additional non-citation pathway to help community members with unique barriers access recovery support.

Washington County’s Deflection Program is a collaboration among Health and Human Services, the District Attorney’s Office, the Sheriff’s Office, Community Corrections, Behavioral Health Resource Network providers, and peer-delivered services. More information is available at wcor.us/deflection.

Pictured above: Deflection Outreach Peer Susavi Martinez Misa with 4D Recovery, Deflection Outreach Supervisor Nick Haskell with 4D Recovery, and Deflection Program Navigator Trevor Gillies share information about Washington County’s Deflection Program at a recent Behavioral Health Resource Network event.